George Belton Moore, the painter of it, often exhibited at the Royal Academy, and taught drawing at the Military Academy, Woolwich, and at University College. He also wrote on perspective, and on the “Principles of Colour applied to Decorative Art.”
By G. B. Moore, 1830 (1806-1875). Lent by Sir E. Coates.
108 VIEW OF LONDON FROM HIGH GROUND BEYOND ST. GEORGE’S FIELDS.
Watercolour. 28 by 19 in.
Since this was painted, all south London, with its immediate neighbourhood, has been so thickly covered with buildings that the artist’s exact point of view cannot be made out. The substantial house in the foreground was probably the suburban home of some well-to-do merchant. The nearest church, evidently on the Surrey side of the river (the tower of which appears a short distance to the right of St. Paul’s), must be Christchurch, near the west side of the Blackfriars Road. Christchurch parish was created by Act of Parliament in 1671, and covers the same ground as the still existing Manor of Paris Garden. Inscription as follows: Willm Capon Pinxt. 1804. Westminster.
By W. Capon (1757-1827). Lent by Sir E. Coates.
Watercolour. 21¼ by 15 in.
View looking down river from garden of the Earl of Fife’s house at Whitehall. The distance is somewhat idealized. To left is Somerset House. Waterloo Bridge is not yet built, but near its site at south end is one of the shot towers, still standing though put to other uses. The bridge shown is old Blackfriars, opened 1769, as we have said elsewhere.
John Claude Nattes, painter of this and of the next watercolour, numbered [110], was an industrious topographical artist. He exhibited occasionally at the Royal Academy and was one of the foundation members of the Old Watercolour Society, but was expelled for exhibiting what was held to be not his own work. With his latest breath he condemned the action of the Society. He published several topographical volumes illustrated by himself, and drew for other publications.