On canvas, image area 14 X 22" plus fine gold frame, listed artist..............Octavius Thomas Clark was the sixth surviving child of animal painter James Clark and Elizabeth (nee London), although his name suggests he may have been the eighth born. He was born 21 December 1850 at 28 Parr Street, Hoxton, which was then part of Shoreditch. He appears on his family's census records of 1851 and 1861 as simply "Thomas Clark". In 1874, when he was 23, Octavius married Ellen Louisa Maidment at Christ Church, Hoxton. At first it seemed that Octavius was not to follow the family tradition of a career in art, as his elder brothers Samuel, Albert and Charles had done. On his marriage certificate his occupation is given as "mercantile clerk", and as "clerk" on the baptism record of his first child, Louis Edgar Clark, in March 1877.However, four years later the 1881 census reveals that Octavius was now earning his living as an artist. He and his wife had two children by this time and they were sharing a house with Ellen's brother Joseph Maidment and his wife at 48 Elmore Street, Islington. By 1901 the growing family had moved on again, this time to Upton Lane, West Ham, and Octavius gives his name as Thomas, which suggests that he was known to family and friends by his middle name. Octavius painted his country landscapes in batches of six at a time, all almost exactly the same. Thus he became the most prolific painter of the Clark family. He did not exhibit anywhere but sold his work through dealers, much of it going to America. Some of his paintings were reproduced as prints and lithographs, and indeed are still available for sale today as giclee prints. Most of his paintings were oils on canvas but he also worked in water-colour. Occasionally he painted under the name of Louis Edgar. By 1907 Octavius and his family had moved to Romford Road in Stratford. Around this time he is known to have appeared on stage as a "lightning artist" at the Borough Theatre in Stratford. He is billed as "Professor O T Clark, the celebrated lightning artist, who will produce on canvas 30in. by 20 in. a beautiful oil painting in 10 to 15 minutes". Octavius' daughter Kate had a career on stage as a singer and comedienne, she was known as Kitty Clark and was also part of a double act called "The Sisters Glynn", but she is not thought to have appeared with her father. Octavius became a Free Mason of the Citadel Lodge, Harrow Station, in 1887. Two years later he was also enrolled as a member of The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes. The 1911 census reveals that Octavius and Ellen had eleven children born alive but six had died. The family were now living at Thorold Road in Ilford, Essex. Their two surviving sons, Louis Edgar and Stanley, had both became artists.Octavius painted until his death aged 70. He passed away on 7 February 1921 at his home in Guernsey Road, Romford, Essex.Source:Website of The Clark Family of Artists, 2020