A NOTED YORKSHIRE ARTIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2600, 13 January 1904, Page 72

A NOTED YORKSHIRE ARTIST.

A writer in tho Leeds Mercury contributes the following sketch of Francis KicI'dson, a celebrated painter in water colours, who was bom November 14, 1753, at Pickering: — The son of Francis Nicholson, a weaver, young Nicholson received a good education in his native town, and was placed with an artist at Scarborough. After a three years' residence there he returned to Pickering, whore for two years he occupied himself in painting portraits and pictures of horses, dogs, and game foi local patrons. Seven months' study followed in London, under a German artist named Metz, who was an efficient figure painter. Returning to Yorkshire, Nicholson increased his practice by taking views about the houses and estate of th© gentry. After nine more months of study in London, he again returned to Pickering, and probably about this timo began his practice in water colours. In 1783, he removed to Whitby, and was afc first chiefly empleyed in painting portraits. But the beauty of the Mulgrav© woods induced him to devote himself to landscape, and during th© next nine years he gradually made a reputation by selling his drawings in Scarborough during the season, as well as in London. Ho practised a method of reproducing his views by etching on a soft ground, and taking impressions with black lead. In 1789 he first sent drawings to the Ivondon. exhibitions. About 1792 he left Whitby for Knaresborough, where he resided three years, and found many patrons in Harrogate. With Sir Henry Tuite he spent some timo each year, sketching in hh company. Another patron, Lord Bute, not only bought many drawings, but commissioned him to make a set cf sketches of the island of Bute. Accordingly in 1794- he made an extensive tour through Bute and tho districts round. On his return to Yorkshire he removed, in 1798, to Ripon. Sir Henry Tuite induced him, in 1600, to settle near him at Weybridgo, and shortly afterwards he purchased No. 10 Titchfield street, London, where for many years he carried on a very large practice as ar artist and a teacher of drawing. Nicholson was one of the ten articts who, on tho 30th November, 1804-, joined together to form the Society of Painters in "Water Colours. To this society's exhibitions he continued a large contributor till its dissolution in 1812. The Society of Painters in Oil and Water Colours was immediately started on ita collapse, and of th© new society Nicholson was elected president; but in 1813 h& resigned his office, and severed his connection with the society. He was specially permitted to exhibit as a- member in the following year, but after that date his name does not again appear in th© catalogues. Ho was also a contributor to an exhibition of "painting in water colours," being represented in 1814 by 21 works, and in its final exhibition of 1815 by three works. Between 1789 and 1833 he exhibited with the Society of Artists, six works; with the Royal Academy 11, and at Suffoclk etreet one. He published in 1820 "The Practice of Drawing and Painting Landscapes frcm Nature in AVater Co'ours," London. The book passed quickly through several enlarged editions. Profiting *by the newly invented ait of lithography, he executed several hunrded drawings on stone, which he used ai drawing copies. He was not only an efficient and industrious artist, but interested himself in many other Fubjeets. He had a good knowlegd© of optics, mechanics, and music. His attainments as a chemist enabled him to make successful experimanta in the uso of colours which did much to advance water colour art. Ho was skilled in organbuilding, and during his tost years wrote his autobiography. He died at his house, 52 Charlotte street, Portland place, London, on March 6, 1844, aged 90. Nicholson well deserves the name generally giv«m to him as the '' Father of Water-colour Painting." He advanced that art from the mere paper-staining with light tints to T,he production of a depth of tone and variety of shade and colour that the earlier practitioners of th© art never dreamt of. With harmony and beauty of colouring he combined an accurate knowledge of drawing, which" mado his work popular. In 1837 ho painted a portrait of himself, then in his 85th year, which lie presented to Ins brother at Pickerinsr. This came into Iho pos^e-ssion of a descendant, Mr George Wrangham Hardy, who published a fchort account of Francis Nicholson in the Yorkshire County Magazine for April) 1891.