During the early 19th century Bristol witnessed a period of unique creativity. From about 1810, artists who moved to this historic global port on the river Avon encountered a stimulating intellectual climate, urban life and striking natural settings which in turn inspired and favoured their distinct contribution to British art. Yet today artists like Edward Bird, Francis Danby or Rolinda Sharples are not well known among British or international audiences. To put this right, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux was to open an exhibition of works by Bristol School artist this May - with support from the Louvre and most of the loans coming from Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. The opening had to be postponed, but here are my highlights.
Bristol the Port City
Artists coming together in Bristol
Social Genre Painting
St James's Fair - rowdy Bristol
Clifton Assembly Rooms - genteel Bristol
Princess Caraboo
An iconic Landscape - a changing Cityscape
Developing the natural Landscape
Nature and Romanticism
Creativity observed
No Change, please
All Change
Ambition beyond Bristol - Foreign shores
Ambition beyond Bristol - Sublime Subjects
Biblical subjects and scientific interests
Rediscovering the Bristol School