Richard Gay Somerset

[2] Moving to Betws-y-Coed, North Wales, Somerset was one of the "first thirty one" founder members of the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art (RCA) in 1882.

[2][3] A painting by Somerset in the Royal Manchester Institution's exhibition on Modern Art in 1877 was praised by the Manchester Courier's art critic: "His fine landscape representing a view near Milford in Surrey is one of the most complete and satisfactory landscape in the collection.

It is remarkable for its agreeable tone and rich pearly quality of colour; some passages are remarkably fine, such as the middle distance, the tree work on the left of the canvas, and the beautiful turflike quality of the foreground.

"[4]A painting by Somerset was the first to be obtained by the Manchester Permanent Art Gallery.

[5] As of 3 April 2023, Somerset's work is included in at least two permanent collections:[2]