"Every major painting, related studies, and the author's own photographs of the locations in which Cotman worked are included in this book, as well as a wealth of new documentary evidence of his time with the Cholmeleys."--BOOK JACKET.

Exploring the development, variety, and innovation of the landscape oil sketch, this book is generously illustrated with many masterpieces of 19th-century British landscape painting.

In the 1860s, the brothers Richard and Samuel Redgrave sat down to write the book that was, in effect, the first popular account of British painting. With remarkable industry, they examined and sifted through the earlier studies and documentary sources while also contributing a great deal of firsthand knowledge. Many of the artists of the time were personal friends or acquaintances, and Richard Redgrave was a member of the Royal Academy.