Early Years of Hercules

Hercules Brabazon was born on 27 November 1821, in Paris. He was the younger son of Hercules Sharpe and Anne Mary and lived with his family in Oakland’s near East Sussex. He was educated at Harrow School then proceeded in the Ecole Privat, Geneva and got graduated in B.A in Mathematics from Trinity College Cambridge in 1844 and M.A in 1848.

After the death of his elder brother to inherit family estates he changed his surname to Brabazon. He traveled to Rome and studied art and painting and was inspired by the works of artists such as Velàzquez and Turner. He received painting lessons from J.H.D’eguille and from Alfred Fripp.

Career of Hercules Brabazon

His traveled continued mostly in Europe, Africa and India and continued painting in watercolors, and referred himself as living for art and sunshine. He first exhibited at the New English Art Club, followed by the successful exhibition at Goupil Gallery in Bond Street.

Earlier he was making copies of watercolors by his masters but as he gained confidence and color sense, his work was inspired by Turners work.

He was very passionate about art and music and everywhere he went he painted and sketched. He traveled in Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Egypt, and India. He was elected as a member of New English Art Club in November 1891 and in 1892 at the age of 71 he exhibited his work for the first time.

He exhibited his work at the Pastel Society and the International Society. He was also an ardent Pianist with a rare quality for reading and rendering good music.

Famous Paintings of Brabazon

His famous artworks include:
Mountain Landscape 1878
Capri 1878

Constantine 1867
Temple of Vesta at Tivoli

A Campanile among ruins
A cornfield at sunset
Gondolas before a palace on the Grand Canal in Venice

Walls of a North African city
Palaces on the Grand Canal in Venice
Venetian Capriccio with a Campanile

Hercules Brabazon Later Years

He has done deeds of kindness and goodwill to his friends, he was a model landlord in his village. He was confined to his room during his last years at Oaklands where he died on 14 May 1906.

His body was buried in Sedlescombe Churchyard. Today his works are in the Tate Gallery, the British Museum, the Public galleries at Dublin and Edinburgh and the Metropolitan Museum, New York.