Grand view of Devon waterfall

JO CLARKE EXAMINES A FINE EXAMPLE OF THE WORK OF LOCAL ARTIST JOHN BARRETT

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THIS seasonal watercolour was gifted to the city's art collection in 1985 and is the work of a relatively unknown artist, John Barrett.

According to records, he was born in Exeter in 1843. The 1851 census shows him as living there with his father William, mother Sarah and two siblings, Eliza and William.

An obituary published in The Western Times in 1908 stated that Barrett's talent for drawing was obvious from a young age and that this led him to attend classes at the Exeter School of Art before continuing to study art, and gain medals and scholarships, beyond that.