Gypsies

Octavius Oakley RWS was an English watercolour portrait, figure and landscape artist. He developed into a specialist of portraits in watercolour and was given commissions by the Duke of Devonshire. Whilst living in Derby where he painted rustic scenes until he moved to Leamington Spa in Warwickshire in 1836, but returned to London in the 1840s and worked there until his death, producing paintings of street scenes and gypsies and their lifestyle. His emphasis on gypsy paintings which he exhibited at the Royal Watercolour Society earned him the name 'Gypsy Oakley'. There is a short tear in the left hand margin which goes into the image about 3mm and there is some light scattered spots.