William Shayer Senior was a renowned landscape and animal painter of the nineteenth century.

Born in Southampton, Hampshire, in 1787, Shayer Senior is particularly associated with landscapes of the New Forest and his cheerful coastal scenes.

In 1823 Shayer’s first wife died leaving him to raise five children while still working as an artist. Helped by the Society of British Artists, and the opening of the Hampshire Gallery, by the end of the 1820’s Shayer’s popularity as an artist began to grow.

During his lifetime Shayer exhibited at the British Institution and at the Royal Academy between 1820 and 1843. His work can now be found in numerous galleries across the U.K.

Four of Shayer Snr’s sons became artists with William Joseph Shayer (1811-1892) and Henry Thring Shayer (1825 – 1894) being the most well known.