william_s_sketchbook

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William's sketchbook

Fiona and Emma Cullen-Ward have shared with us a marvellous sketchbook which belonged to the talented artist-soldier William Prior -see William Augustus Murray Prior. When William died, the sketchbook went to his father who has written his name inside 'Captain Prior 1845'. The sketchbook is rather battered and a little larger than an A4 paper and around 4cm thick. The following reproductions (in the order they appear in the book) show why it was so treasured.
Is this a battlefield allegory with the British lion overhead?
William has initialed (W.P.) this fine painting of cows and dated it 1832.
these are copies of sketches: the first is by Honoré Daumier of the 'Grocer' c.1840-41. For more see Daumier's Paris. The second is an engraving by Jacques Lavieille, 1840 which is variously labelled 'Home Nurse', 'Monthly Nurse' or 'La garde'(guard). A monthly nurse attended to a woman in the then dangerous month after childbirth when puerperal fever killed so many. She is holding a portable dustpan and brush.
William's art teacher Sidney Cooper specialised in cows and other farm animals, so these paintings are likely ones William produced while his pupil.

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