Benjamin Rawlinson Faulkner (1787 – 1849): A Manchester Portraitist Benjamin Rawlinson Faulkner was an English portrait painter born in Manchester, marking the beginning of a career distinguished by both artistic talent and quiet observation. Initially involved in mercantile pursuits—representing a sizable firm at Gibraltar—Faulkner’s life took an unexpected turn when his health deteriorated during a visit to Gibraltarian quarantine due to plague. This experience profoundly impacted him, fostering a newfound passion for drawing that was nurtured by his brother, Joshua Wilson Faulkner, who hi…