George Barret Sr.: Life & Legacy George Barret Sr., born between 1728 and 1732 in Libertyville, Ireland – the son of a cloth merchant – stands as a pivotal figure in the history of British landscape painting. His artistic journey began humbly, apprenticed initially as a staymaker before an unexpected discovery ignited his passion for drawing, ultimately shaping him into one of the foremost artists of his era and a founding member of the Royal Academy. Early Life and Training His formative years were marked by disciplined training at Robert West’s Academy in Dublin around 1747, generously su…