Barker, Robert, Sir, 1729?-1789

Epithet: of Add MS 36149

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000742.0x00039c

Epithet: Lieutenant; of the 67th Foot

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000742.0x000399

Epithet: Lieutenant; RN

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000742.0x00039a

Epithet: of Egerton Ch 7628

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000742.0x00039e

Epithet: Consul at Alicante

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000742.0x000397

Robert Barker was an Irish artist, born in 1739. He worked in Edinburgh in the late 18th century and invented the 'panorama' concept - a 360 degree view designed to be placed round the inside of a cylinder and viewed from the centre. The word was taken from the Greek 'pan', 'all', and 'horama', a view (from 'horan', to see). This type of illustration caught the public imagination and panorama viewing establishments soon opened in London, Paris and New York, and with the panoramas growing in size all the time. In the US they were often called 'cycloramas', a term which was first recorded from the 1840s.

In London, Barker panoramas were exhibited at an establishment in Castle Street, off Leicester Square. The first being a view of London from the roof of the Albion Mills, in 1791. Later on, from 1793, Barker panoramas moved to the first purpose-built panorama building in the world, in Leicester Square, London.

Robert Barker died in 1806.

From the guide to the Panorama of Edinburgh from Calton Hill, by Robert Barker (1739-1806), 1789-1790, (Edinburgh University Library)