Portraits of the artist's brother, and sister-in-law

A versatile and facile talent, the Art Journal observed in 1897 (p. 170) that Hacker was 'possessed with a similar spirit to that of Mr. Dicksee in endeavouring to avoid the danger of painting in a single groove'. Having visited Africa in 1881 with Soloman J Soloman, many of his early works depict African scenes, but as the as the taste for subject pictures declined, in common with many other 'academic' artists, his portrait practice grew. Hacker painted a number of members of the art world of the day, including Sir Frank Short, E Onslow Ford, Ernest Newton and M H Spielmann, as well as members of his own family. Hacker's wife Lilian also painted, exhibiting at the Royal Academy between 1909 and 1924.