Background
Born in London, the son of a jeweller named Henry Draper and his wife Emma, he was educated at Bruce Castle School in Tottenham and then went on to study art at the Royal Academy.
Born in London, the son of a jeweller named Henry Draper and his wife Emma, he was educated at Bruce Castle School in Tottenham and then went on to study art at the Royal Academy.
In the 1890s, he worked as an illustrator, eventually settling in London. He died of arteriosclerosis at the age of 56, in his home on Abbey Road. Draper"s most productive period began in 1894.
He focused mainly on mythological themes from ancient Greece.
He was also responsible for the decoration of the ceiling of the Drapers" Hall in the City of London. Though Draper was neither a member nor an associate of the Royal Academy he took part in the annual expositions from 1890 on.
In later years as the public tastes changed and mythological scenes became less popular he concentrated more on portraits. During his lifetime Draper was quite famous and a well-known portrait painter.
In his last years his popularity faded, though there has recently been a revival of interest in his work on the art market.
The sale of his painting The Sea Maiden by the Royal Cornwall Museum in 2010, to help secure its finances, generated debate about the policy of disposing of art works for this purpose.