François Louis Thomas Francia A rock arch on the south coast

Signed l.c.: FRANCIA, watercolour over traces of pencil.
10 x 23 cm.; 4 x 9 inches

Provenance
Sir William Forbes, 7th Baronet, of Pitsligo (1773-1828), also of Colinton House, Greenhill House and Fettercairn House, Kincardineshire and by descent until 2017;
With Abbott and Holder;
Private collection U.K. until 2024

Francia was Bonington’s teacher whose work provides an important link between British and French watercolour painting in the early nineteenth century. A native of Calais, he left for London after the outbreak of the French Revolution and remained until 1817. He established a practise as a drawing master in London and a reputation as a painter of marine and landscape watercolours. He attended the Monro ‘academy’, made sketching tours, was secretary of the Brothers, a sketching club of which Girtin was a member and was also secretary of the Associated Artists in Water Colours. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1795-1822. He returned to Calais in 1817.

Sir William Forbes, 7th Bt., began acquiring Old Master drawings as a young man, travelled to Italy in 1827 and formed an important collection of Old Master paintings later in life. He bought extensively from the posthumous sales of John McGouan (L. 1496), another significant Scottish collector, in 1803 and 1804. He was also an enthusiastic patron of British contemporary watercolourists.