Rippon
This is an engraving of a Nicholson drawing by John Walker. Nicholson enhanced his London reputation by submitting fourteen drawings to the Walkers' Copper Plate Magazine between 1792 and 1803.




Nant Mill
Whilst living in Park St., Ripon between c.1796 and 1800, Nicholson made the big breakthrough which brought 'stained drawings' into the realm of 'proper paintings'.   It earned him the title 'The Father of English Water Colour Painting'. He demonstrated the technique to the Society of Arts for 20 guineas in 1799.   This painting, Nant Mill, was done around 1807 and is now on semi-permanent loan at Beck Isle Museum.




Untitled print of a tree
Shortly before 1820, Nicholson took to lithography more positively than any other prominent artist.  His motives were probably twofold.  First, he was always fond of teaching, and lithography meant, for the first time, students could get prints directly from the artist's hand at a price they could afford.




Scarborough
There was a growing sentimentality for British rural scenes and Nicholson met the demand very profitably.  This Scarborough scene with the shrimpers is very interesting, in that it shows a coastal scene and the traditional way in which people earned a living.  You must remember that the industrial revolution was rapidly overtaking the old ways and Nicholson's paintings and lithographs often showed the traditional occupations and pastimes.  At other times, he showed the new ways - starkly, in near Shiffhell, but more gently in Judy's Scarborough which shows one paddle steamer amongst several sailing vessels.  Also, in St. Mary's Abbey, York, he shows people amusing themselves with kites in what is now Museum Gardens - the idea of flight was fascinating people thirty years before Cayley made the dream a reality at Brompton.






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