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Sketchbook
Amelia Long, born 1772 - died 1837 - Enlarge image
Sketchbook
- Date:
1800-1825 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Amelia Long, born 1772 - died 1837 (artist)
- Materials and Techniques:
Drawings in pencil and ink wash on paper
- Museum number:
E.21080-1957
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 120, case 10
Object Type
This sketchbook belonged to the amateur artist Amelia Long, Lady Farnborough. She would have bought it from one of the many shops catering to the taste for amateur art that developed in the early 19th century, such as Rudolph Ackermann's 'Repository' in London. This sketchbook has 60 pages of white wove paper. Wove paper is made on a fine mesh mould, which makes it very smooth and suitable for pencil, ink and watercolour. The more old-fashioned laid paper was indented by the chains of the mould, which meant ink and watercolour often 'pooled' in these indentations.
People
Amelia, Lady Farnborough, was a daughter of the connoisseur Sir Abraham Hume. In 1793 she married Charles Long, created Baron Farnborough in 1826. An amateur etcher and a vigourous patron of the arts, he assisted the watercolourist Thomas Girtin (1775-1802) to make his one visit to Paris in 1801. Lady Farnborough was Girtin's favourite pupil, and her work was widely admired by professional artists and drawing masters. Her watercolours also show the influence of her contemporary John Varley. Her country seat was Bromley Hill Place, Kent, and many of her landscapes are scenes of the surrounding district.
