An attractive landscape watercolour of the town of Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, by Thomas Miles Richardson Junior (1813-90), the notable artist from Newcastle. Richardson was the son of Thomas Miles Richardson (1784-1848) who had developed an early interest in drawing and later became a teacher of the art at St. Andrews school in Newcastle. He was a popular exhibitor at the Royal Academy in London. He had also been behind the first major art Exhibition in the north in 1822. His success grew with the founding of several Institutions in the north including the Watercolour Society which he founded.

He taught his son who ‘was in an almost identical mould, though in his slighter sketches he seems to shed many of the family mannerisms’ (Thomas & Bennett). From 1832 he was sending his own work to London for exhibition. He moved their in 1846 after being elected A.O.W.S. in 1843 and elected Member in 1851. He travelled extensively including on the continent. ‘He was a skilful draughtsman and had a good eye for composition. He was fond of bright colours and used a quantity of white heightening … [and is best seen] in smaller and less pretentious views such as a series he made on the Thames’ (Mallalieu). Following his death any remaining works were sold through Christie’s, 16-18 June 1890. Provenance: Edwin Wilkins Field (1804-71), lawyer and painter himself; Sotheby’s 14 November 1996 lot 190; private English collection. Malllieu (1986) p. 288; Thomas & Bennett (1971) p. 39.