John Thomas Peele (1822–1897) was born in Peterborough, England but came to America with his parents around 1834, settling in Buffalo, New York. His early artistic training took place in Buffalo, but he moved to New York and enrolled at the National Academy of Design in 1840. He worked in Albany for two years as a portrait painter before returning to the U.K. where he worked from 1841-1844. He was unable to find sufficient patronage to succeed as a society portraits painter and turned instead to genre paintings, often featuring young children. He returned to London in 1845 and became a member of the NAD. From 1852-1891 he was back in London and exhibited at the Royal Academy, the British Institution, and the Society of British Artists, as well as in Birmingham and Manchester. His career flourished during later years, with patrons that included Prince Albert, who purchased his Children of the Wood.
