Talbot Hughes was born in 1869 in London, England. He was a painter of genre scenes, landscapes and still-life paintings. He was well noted especially for his genre scenes.

Hughes lived and worked in London exhibiting through the Fine Art Society, The Royal Academy and at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters for nearly 40 years.

Towards the end of his career, the artist moved to the English South Coast near Weymouth, Dorset. He was a member of a painting dynasty being the son of the successful still-life painter, William Hughes (1842-1901) and the brother of the landscape painter, Sir Herbert Hughes Stanton (1870-1937).

Talbot Hughes’ collection of old English costumes is now preserved in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England. The National Art Library at the V & A is also keepers to the Artist's catalog of Cabinet paintings held at the Fine Art Society in 1902.

“Flirtation in the Tavern” is without a doubt one of the best examples of Talbot Hughes’ finest work. This is an exquisite rendering of the eternal story of the rocky road to true love as the young groom watches enviously as the urbane older squire and innkeeper's daughter amuse themselves with intimate banter. The whole scene coming full circle by the artist's inclusion of the Jack Russell dog to the theme are the details and accurate depiction of costumes by this consummate painter who was an authority on 18th and 19th Century dress.

He died in 1942.

Fernand Toussaint passed away in 1956.

Today his work is highly sought after and collected by art enthusiasts around the world.