HENRY EDRIDGE, who made excellent drawings in Paris and in Normandy, we have already mentioned among the miniature painters.
ROBERT HILLS (1769—1844) represented animal painting in water colours, and may be styled the father of this branch of art. He frequently worked in conjunction with other artists; as in Deer in a Landscape (South Kensington), where the deer are painted by Hills, and the landscape is by Barret.
MICHAEL ANGELO ROOKER (1748—1801) originally practised as an engraver, but, having been instructed in painting by Paul Sandby, forsook the graver, and worked as a student at the Royal Academy. Subsequently, he became principal scene-painter at the Haymarket Theatre. He used much local colour in tinted drawings, as may be seen in St. Botolph's Priory, and Boxgrove Priory Church (South Kensington Collection).
Conspicuous among those artists who showed that the power and richness which were supposed to belong to oil painting only, could be produced in water colours, was—
THOMAS GIRTIN (1773—1802), who entirely revolutionised the technical practice of his forerunners, by laying in a whole picture with the local colours of its parts. Girtin found a friend and helper in Dr. Monro, who possessed many fine drawings, and allowed the young painters of the day free access to them. In the riverside scenery visible from the Doctor's house at the Adelphi, Girtin found congenial subjects for his art, as well as amid the old-world spots about Chelsea and Wandsworth. Later, he extended his travels, choosing cathedral cities in England, and visiting the Lake district, Scotland, and Wales. Girtin loved to depict scenes of gloom and grandeur, such as the melancholy Cumberland hills, and the sterner scenery of Scotland, whilst Turner, his friend and fellow-worker at Dr. Monro's house, depicted light, even when treating similar subjects to those which his friend affected. Girtin spent a great deal of valuable time in painting a panorama of London, which was much admired. He died at the age of twenty-nine, but he had lived long enough to make a great advance in water-colour painting, and to add power of effect, of colour, and of execution to the poetry with which Cozens had invested it. Favourable specimens of Girtin's art may be seen in a View on the Wharfe and Rievaulx Abbey (South Kensington).
GEORGE BARRET the younger (1774—1842) was one of the foundation members of the Water-Colour Society. He especially delighted in sunset effects.
William De la Motte (1780—1863) was originally a pupil of President West, but abandoned oil for water colours. He painted landscapes in the style of Girtin, but more chiefly architecture and marine pieces.
Of JOSEPH MALLORD WILLIAM TURNER (1775—1851), we shall speak hereafter as a painter in oils; here we must describe his influence in water-colour art, which was greater even than that of Girtin. "Many date the perfect development of water-colour painting from Girtin, but it is far more due to Turner, who, while he could paint in that medium with the power and strength of Girtin, added to that strength, delicacy and quality" (Redgrave). Turner is famous as a painter both in water colour and in oil, and as the artist of "Southern Coast Scenery," "England and Wales," "Rivers of France," Roger's "Italy" and "Poems." His Liber Studiorum is a collection of valuable studies in monochrome, now in the National Gallery. His etchings from them are very celebrated. Mr. Redgrave says of him, "If ever writer dipt his pen in poetry, surely Turner did his facile pencil, and was indeed one of nature's truest poets." His water-colour drawings are well represented in the National Gallery.
