Algernon Newton RA 1880-1968 is an artist whose work I admire. Born in Hampstead,
London, he studied at Clare College, Cambridge, then at Calderon’s School of animal
painting, at the Slade and at the London School of Art. He was known as the Camden
Canaletto, producing highly romanticised views of London in the 18th century style.
When he began to paint he worked hard to find his way, painting watercolours in the
style of Sandby and Cox, until he was able to faithfully reproduce the style epitomised
by the greatest artists of the 18th century. But they are not pastiches, they are
powerful works in their own right. In 1923 Newton began producing his striking architectural
views of London, the work for which he is best known. Newton is famous for using
a flawless traditional technique to depict modern subject matter. I have acquired
a number of watercolours and drawings by him which were purchased in the early 1970's
by a London dealer. They came from his estate. Several are signed with the artists
monogram, most are inscribed. The majority are in black chalks on blue paper and
are squared up for transfer to canvas as was his habit. There was a retrospective
exhibition at the Sheffield City Art Gallery after he died and a number of the squared
up drawings were in the exhibition. Paintings by him rarely come on the market and
I was pleased to find this small collection. Click on this link to look at what I
have left of drawings by Algernon Newton
