Sketch book of Richard Parkes Bonington (1802-1828), painter, 1810

The sketch book (MS 456/1) contains 27 watercolours, generally in grey wash, together with three pencil sketches by Richard Parkes Bonington. The subjects are usually given more than one treatment (four times in one instance) with minor changes of position and shadow. They illustrate a river view; a stream and bridge with distant view of a village; a bridge and house; fishermen; trees; a folly; a Grecian statue; a row of houses; a church and house; Old Radford church [Nottinghamshire]; a bridge with waterfall and horse and cart; and a bay with tall ships. The pencil sketches are of two people and a dog; a woman washing clothes in a stream; and sheep and a shepherd with distant cattle.

The sketch book is accompanied by a printed article about Bonington by C. Reginald Grundy, undated (MS 456/2/1) and a book review clipped from the Nottingham Guardian about S.C. Kaines Smith's Gartin and Bonington, 1922 (MS 456/2/2).

Richard Parkes Bonington was born in Arnold, Nottinghamshire in 1802 but spent most of his boyhood in Nottingham. His father was working at that time as an artist and his mother was a teacher. In 1815 they moved to France, initially to Calais where Bonington senior established himself in the lace trade. Young Bonington showed a natural aptitude for drawing, which may have been encouraged with lace design initially in mind. In 1817 he became a student at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He toured frequently, making sketches as he went. His landscape work in watercolour won immediate recognition. In 1822 he exhibited at the Paris Salon. He visited Italy in 1826 and in the same year had his first exhibition at the Royal Academy London.

Ill health brought him back to London from the Continent, but treatment failed and he died on 23 September 1828, aged only twenty-five. He was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.

No archival arrangement has been necessary

ACCESS: Accessible to all registered readers.

LANGUAGE: English

This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright in the description belongs to The University of Nottingham.

REPROGRAPHIC: Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

COPYRIGHT: Permission to make published use of the sketch book must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). The Department will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but the responsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the reader.

The sketch book was given to the library of University College Nottingham in 1939.

• The University of Nottingham; Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections: Research papers relating to Richard Parkes Bonington compiled by Nottingham historian, Sydney Race. Reference: MS 116