James Butler Brenan was born in Cork in 1825, the son of landscape painter John Brenan (c.1796-1865) and lived in Cork throughout his life. He first exhibited at the RHA in 1843, with a religious painting, The Raising of the Widow's Son (Luke, Ch.VIII), and the following year with Rustic Merriment, Ireland and Irish Hospitality. He was elected ARHA in 1861 and RHA in 1871. He continued to exhibit at the RHA regularly until 1886 when he showed A Winter's Day near Cork. Predominantly he was a portraitist of eminent local people, of Lord Mayors and Bishops, Captains and Ladies. These, according to Strickland were "good likeness often vigorously and skillfully painted; but he hardly fulfilled the promise of excellence shown in his earlier work." A number of his portraits are in the Crawford Gallery collection. Brenan died in 1889.

Ref: A Dictionary of Irish Artists by W.G. Strickland, Vol.1