Signed application by John Frederick Lewis, proposing Lord Wharncliffe as a member of 'the artists' and amateurs' conversatzione'. With the signatures of seventeen artists and prominent figures in the art world of Georgian London.

Author: 
The Artists' and Amateurs' Conversazione Society; John Frederick Lewis; George Raphael Ward; William Boxall; Richard Rothwell; James Inskipp; Henry Behnes Burlowe; Charles Harvey Weigall; Scipio Clint
Publication details: 
Feb. 5 1831. 14 Berners St. [London]'
£350.00
SKU: 8619

On one side of a piece of wove paper, 32 x 20 cm. Laid down on a leaf from an autograph album. In fair condition, aged and dusty with slight wear to extremities. The item is of added interest, dating as it does from the year of the Society's inception. The nine-line application is in the hand of the artist John Frederick Lewis (1804-1876), and is addressed to 'Dear Sir' - presumably the final signatory 'Henry Graves. Esq. [1806-1892, printseller] Sec. to the Artists and Amateurs Conversatzion. [sic]'. Wharnecliffe having 'permitted' Lewis 'to be means of proposing him', Lewis has 'joined the signatures of the following gentlemen (members of the conversatzione [sic]) who think with myself that a meeting should be asked as early as possible for the purpose of proposing and electing his Lordship an Honorary Member'. The sixteen other signatures appear in two columns, and constitute an interesting selection of figures from the artistic scene in Georgian London: 'George Raphael Ward [1799-1878, painter and engraver] | William Boxall [1800-1879, painter] | | Chas. G. Lewis. [1808-1880, engraver] | Edmund Graves | | S. A. Hart. [1806-1881, painter]| Thomas Griffith [of Norwood, Turner's agent] | Geo. J. Morant [1799-1865?, framemaker] | Richard Rothwell [1800-1868, painter] | James Inskipp [1790-1868, painter] | H. B. Burlowe [1801-1837, sculptor] | Chas. H Weigall [1794-1877, painter] | Scipio Clint [1805-1839, medallist] | Geo Clint [1770-1854, engraver] | J W Wright [1802-1848, painter]'.