Richard parkes bonington biography of christopher

 

Richard Parkes Bonington (1802-1828) is the painter most often credited with bringing the English watercolor movement to Europe in paintings of great technical command and color lyricism.

The only son of a Nottingham drawing master and stationer, Bonington learned watercolor painting from his father and exhibited paintings at the Liverpool Academy at age 11. His family relocated to Calais (France) late in 1817 to start a lacemaking factory.

Richard parkes bonington biography of christopher columbus

There Bonington came under the casual tutelage of Louis Francia (1772-1839), who legend has it encountered the boy sketching alone along the Calais docks and beaches. Francia was a French painter just returned from 10 years in London where he had learned the latest developments in British watercolor painting by working alongside Thomas Girtin, John Varley and Peter DeWint; these methods he taught to Bonington.

In 1818 the family moved to Paris to open a lace retail outlet, and within a year Boningto