Background
He was born in Somerton, Somerset and moved to London, where he served an apprenticeship to a house-painter.
He was born in Somerton, Somerset and moved to London, where he served an apprenticeship to a house-painter.
Some older sources give his first name as Luke. Cradock was an English painter, noted for his depictions of birds, dead game, and other animals. He was, however, self-taught as an artist, becoming skilled in the depiction of birds and animals.
Horace Walpole wrote that "I have seen some pieces by his hand which he painted with a freedom and a fire that entitled them to more distinction".
According to Walpole, Cradock deliberately shunned aristocratic patronage. He died in London in 1717, and was buried at Street Mary, Whitechapel.Soon afterwards some of his works were sold at three or four times the price he had received for them in his lifetime.