Original works of art

Bristow was the son of an heraldic painter, and little is known of his life. He lived in Windsor, and the town is often depicted in his paintings. Indeed, he sometimes signed his paintings, along with the word, "Windsor."

Bristow specialized in painting horses and dogs, as well as landscapes, and early in his career he had a few important patrons who included the Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Clarence, later William IV. He frequently worked on a small scale paying great attention to detail but sometimes he painted larger pictures.