John Alfred Wheeler Art

John Alfred Wheeler was born in Andoversford, Gloucestershire, in 1821. He was the founder of a dynasty of painters which included his sons Alfred Wheeler (1851–1932) and James Thomas Wheeler (1849-1888) and his grandsons John Frederick Wheeler and Walter Herbert Wheeler who were all skilled artists. He initially served in the army and lived in Cheltenham after being discharged. Wheeler specialized in portraits of dogs and horses as well as sporting scenes. He also produced several military paintings featuring horses. By 1877, Wheeler had moved to Hanwell, London where, he achieved considerable success earning commissions from wealthy patrons such as the Duke of Portland, the Duke of Westminster and the Earl of Caithness and Baron Rothschild. Wheeler also spent time living in Bath during the late 1880s to early 1890s. He is considered to be one of the most accomplished animal artists of his day. He died at Hanwell in 1903. Examples of his work are held by the Victoria Art Gallery, Bath, the National Trust, Somerset Military Museum and the Salford Museum & Art Gallery.