Lot 78: Nesbitt (Frances E., 1864-1934). An archive of

Nesbitt (Frances E., 1864-1934). An archive of sketchbooks and original artwork, a collection of thirteen sketchbooks and over 100 watercolour sketches, variously on paper, card, and artist's board, the sketchbooks containing numerous watercolour and pencil sketches, of landscapes, nude studies, seascapes (especially ships and yachts), costume studies, buildings, figure studies, flower studies, etc., incl. scenes in Cairo, Venice, the Lake District, Austria, Scotland, Dartmouth, Gibraltar, Rome, Siena, Aldeburgh, the Holy Land, Amsterdam, Plymouth, etc., some of the sketches dated, the 100+ separate watercolour sketches mostly landscapes and seascapes with boats, some signed, approx. 270 x 365 mm (10.5 x 14.5 ins) and smaller Frances Nesbitt was a prolific painter of landscapes and genre. She was the daughter of an eminent surgeon, Francis Albert, and she trained at the Slade School of Art. She exhibited regularly at the leading London galleries from 1888, chiefly at the Royal Society of British Artist and the Royal Institute of Painters in Water-colours. She particularly loved painting boats, a subject to which her style was well suited, with her adeptness at capturing morning and evening light, and reflections on water. Frances spent much time sketching on the Suffolk coast, as well as at a multitude of other locations at home and abroad, as is evidenced in her sketchbooks. She was an excellent linguist and she travelled extensively in Europe with her mother, where she studied the history and architecture of each country they visited. The two spent some time in North Africa, and Frances wrote and illustrated an A. and C. Black publication, 'Algeria and Tunis', published in 1906, for which she produced seventy watercolours. Her Middle Eastern paintings are particuarly sought after. This large and interesting archive of her work is being sold by the artist's nephew. (a small carton)

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