JOHN BARRY (fl. 1784-1827)

We are grateful to Stephen Wood for his expertise on military uniform.

There is scant biographical information known about John Barry beyond the dates that he exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1784-1827. His highly finished style was highly esteemed by miniatures scholar Daphne Foskett among others, and his work can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The sitter can be identified as a field officer, that is to say he was of the rank of major, lieutenant-colonel or colonel. He wears the undress uniform of a Royal regiment, which is signified by the fact that his coatee has dark blue facings, possibly velvet, together with gilt buttons. The coatee is of the period circa 1796-1815 and the grey background of the miniature would place it likely in the earlier half of this window, after which sky backgrounds became more common in portrait miniatures.