George Heriot (1766-1844) - Bonnington Falls on the River Clyde, Scotland

George Heriot was 'educated at Edinburgh High School and University, he was a cadet at Woolwich while Paul Sandby was drawing master there. Later he became a civil servant, and from 1799 to 1816 he was deputy Postmaster General of Canada. He travelled through much of Quebec and Ontario. After his return to England in 1816 he travelled fairly widely on the Continent, visiting Salzburg, Spain, France and the Channel Islands. His early drawings can be very Sandby-like and are characterised by neat penwork.' [1]
 
This work of the 'Bonnington Falls' on the River Clyde is reminiscent of Sandby and probably was painted before Heriot travelled to Canada in 1799. Today the waterfall is known as Bonnington Linn and is part of a series of four waterfalls on the River Clyde near to Lanark that are known as the Falls of Clyde. Their picturesque nature and beauty has attracted artists for centuries including JMW Turner, Alexander Nasmyth and Paul Sandby. In fact, Sandby's painting of Bonnington Linn held in the National Galleries of Scotland is painted from a very similar position to our work by Heriot.
 
This picture has excellent provenance and was in the prestigious private collection of Iolo Williams. Works by Heriot are rare.
 
Medium: sepia watercolour on paper, inscribed on mount lower centre 'Bonnington Falls on the River Clyde' and l.r. 'Geo Heriot', 13.7 x 18.3cm (picture size), mounted.
 
Provenance: Iolo Williams Collection.
 
Literature:
 
[1] Huon Mallieu (2002), 'The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists up to 1920: Volume I A-L', Antique Collectors Club: Woodbridge, p.309. See entry on artist.
 
Condition report: in good condition for its age with some time staining.