 This circle expanded when Beaumont became Tory MP for Beer Alston in Devon from 1790 to 1796, but his enthusiasm for politics was short-lived and he soon returned to his artistic pursuits.A picture gallery was added to the house in 1792 to accommodate their growing art collection.Despite the cool reception by critics of an early work, "A View of Keswick" (1779), Beaumont became a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy from 1794 to 1825, eventually earning a reputation as the leading amateur painter of his day.