Romantic Landscapes

The Norwich Society of Artists held meetings and ran exhibitions from about 1803 to 1833. Crome and Cotman were leading figures in the Society and their pupils, including Stark and Vincent, became successful in their own right. Although their work was purchased by major British patrons, they were also sustained by the enthusiasm of local collectors for their original portrayal of rural scenes. Cotman was an early master of the new fashion for painting outdoors and produced an outstanding body of watercolors during his periods of residence in Norfolk.