Briton Rivière was born in London, England on 14 August 1840 and was the son of William Rivière (1806–1876), an artist and onetime drawing master at Cheltenham College. He moved with his family to Gloucestershire in 1851 and then, in 1859, to Oxford where his father established an art school. Meanwhile, Rivière entered St Mary Hall, University of Oxford from where he graduated in 1866. About this time, he was made aware of the Pre-Raphaelite group who were to influence his work as a painter. Rivière worked primarily as an animal painter and in this he is seen as an heir to the tradition of Sir Edwin Landseer. Early in his career he also worked as an illustrator and was a contributor to Punch. Riviere was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy in London from 1858 to (posthumously) 1920.
He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) in 1878; a Royal Academician (RA) in 1881; and an Honorary member of the Royal Miniature Society (HRMS) in 1900. His painting 'Beyond Men's Footsteps' was purchased by the Chantry Bequest in 1894.
In 1867 he married the painter Mary Alice Dobell (1844-1931). He died at 82 Finchley Road, London on 20 April 1920. His eldest son, Hugh Goldwin Riviere (1869–1956), became a portraitist.
Text source: Arts + Architecture Profiles from Art History Research net (AHRnet) https://www.arthistoryresearch.net/
