Hercules Brabazon Brabazon - Biography

1821

Paris 27th November. Hercules Brabazon Sharpe was born to Hercules Sharpe of County Durham and Ann Brabazon of County Mayo. Ireland

1832

The Brabazon Sharpe family returns to England and settle into their new estate Oaklands, built for them by Decimus Burton, near Seddlescombe, Sussex.

1835

Enters Harrow School.

1837

Transfers to the Ecole Privat in Geneva, run on the principles of the Swiss educator. Pestalozzi.

1840

Enters Trinity College, Cambridge to read mathematics. His tutor is the celebrated mathematician/philosopher and education reformer. Professor George Peacock, among whose achievements was his role in the construction of the Fitz-William Museum.

1844

Graduates from Cambridge with a BA in mathematics. Against his father's wishes he turns away from the family tradition to read law and moves to Rome to study art and music.

1847

His older brother suddenly dies of a fever in Malta. On 9th August, Hercules Brabazon Sharpe now succeeds to the Brabazon estates in Connaught, Ireland. Becomes Hercules Brabazon Brabazon.

1848

leaves Rome and travels to Spain via Sicily and Gibraltar. Travels through Spain on horseback. Encounters the work of Velasquez

1858

Following the death of his father he inherits the family estate in Sussex and becomes financially independent.

1860

Travels to Cairo, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Baalbeck and Istanbul

1864

Takes a flat at 2 Morpeth Terrace, Westminster. From now on he divides his time between London, Sussex and travelling abroad, but concentrates all his energies on his art and music.

1867

Elected for membership to the Burlington Fine Arts Club at the same time as Dante Gabriel Rossetti and John Ruskin.

1868

Goes on his (first of three Nile tours to the borders of Egypt and Sudan.

1870

First Indian Trip.

1875

Second trip to India travelling by steamer from Genoa.

1880

Accompanies Ruskin. Severn, and Arthur Ditchfield on a sketching tour of Amiens.

1886

The New English Art Club (NEAC) is founded.

1891

Elected to membership of the NEAC. Exhibits two paintings at the Winter exhibition.

1892

His first one-man exhibition at the Goupil Gallery, Bond Street on the 3rd December. It is a total sellout success.

1894

Second one-man show at the Goupil Gallery

1898

Third one-man show at the Goupil Gallery

1899

Fourth one-man show at the Goupil Gallery. Becomes a founder member of the Pastel Society.

1904

Following a serious illness Brabazon leaves London to live at Oaklands and works on a catalogue of his work

1905

Fifth one-man show; it the Goupil Gallery.

1906

Exhibits with the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers in February. Dies 14th May at Oaklands, having never married he leaves his estate in his will to a nephew and his art to his nephew's wife.