“Painter of portraits of the historical and biblical genre. Born in Bath. Pupil of John Phillip. At first Long painted Spanish subjects in the manner of his teacher Phillip, but achieved fame and fortune for his large biblical and historical pictures, especially of Egyptian subjects. His style, which derives from Alma-Tadema, is similar to that of Edward Armitage. In 1875 his large work ‘The Babylonian Marriage Market’ created a sensation at the Royal Academy and was sold for 7,000 guineas. In 1882 it was sold at Christie’s 6,300 guineas, the Victorian saleroom record for the work of any living English artist. This and Long’s flair for choosing popular subjects enabled him to charge very high prices for his pictures. Exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1855 to 1891, British Institution and Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street. He was elected to the ARA in 1875 and to the RA in 1881.”

(Biographical source: Wood, Christopher. The Dictionary of Victorian Painters. 2nd ed. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1978.)