Watercolour, The Archbishop's Palace at Lambeth, by Jonathan Skelton, 1755.

Watercolour of the Archbishop's Palace at Lambeth. Signed, dated and inscribed with titles by the artist.

Bequeathed by Miss Grace Valentine Stephenson as part of the R. H. Stephenson Bequest

R. H. Stephenson Bequest, 1929.

Historical Significance: Little is known of Skelton. His style is close to that of George Lambert (1710-65) It is generally believed that Skelton’s reference to a Mr Lambert in his correspondence from Italy support the idea that he was taught by him. Skelton’s earliest dated drawings are from 1754. Drawings survive of Croydon, South London and Rochester prior to his trip to Italy in 1757. He died in Rome two years later. A drawing attributed to Skelton of the Archbishop’s Palace, Croydon (Croydon Public Libraries) has an inscription on the back in an eighteenth-century hand which gives information on the possible identity of the artist. It states ‘Garden View of the Archbishop’s Palace at Croydon in Surrey, taken by a Footman in His Grace’s [Archbishop Herring] family in 1754....’(See: Ford, ‘Jonathan Skelton and his watercolours’, p.11). All of Skelton’s drawings show locations where Archbishop Herring resided (Croydon, Cantebury, and Lambeth) supporting the possibility that he did work in the Archbishop’s service.
This watercolour is from the earlier dated group of London views made by Skelton, the later dating to 1757. The style is close to other works by Skelton (see: A Farmstead, dated 1755, Tate, inventory number T08473; St Pancras Church V&A, P.117-1929). In these works the building is placed in the mid ground, occupying the space of the sheet, whilst the foreground is filled with foliage. The handling, particularly that of the foliage is very close to works by George Lambert. The overall delicate representation of architecture, within its natural surrounds is more fluid than earlier landscapes by British artists. It demonstrates the advances that Skelton made in watercolour views in the mid eighteenth century.
References: Brinsley Ford ‘Jonathan Skelton and his watercolours’, in Walpole Society 1956-8, pp.10-22.

P.119-1929