John M Whichelo (1784-1865) - 'Boccaccio'

The full name of the artist is Charles John Mayle Whichelo but he chose to be known as John. He was a pupil of the celebrated watercolourists John Varley and Joshua Cristall of which his style is closest to the latter. Whichelo was primarily known as a marine artist but also was skilled in landscape works. He was titled 'Marine and Landscape Painter to H.R.H. the Prince Regent' by 1812 and was later elected as an Associate of the Old Watercolour Society (now the RWS) in 1823. Whichelo travelled widely around the continent on sketching trips and he was known to have visited the Low Countries, the Rhine, Switzerland and Italy.
 
This work painted around 1820 takes its inspirtation from Thomas Stothard's (1755-1834) painting on Boccaccio's 'Decameron'. The book the artwork was based on, was written in the 14th century by the Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio (1313–1375) and consists of 100 tales that are told by a group of seven young women and three young men who were sheltering in a secluded villa close to the city of Florence to escape the perils of the Black Death. However, if the date of Whichelo's work is after 1828 then it is likely his watercolour is based on J.M.W. Turner's famous painting 'Boccaccio relating the Tale of the Birdcage' that was exhibited in the Royal Academy that year. The figure arrangement in Whichelo's work is remarkably similar. The main difference is that Turner chose East Cowes Castle as a backdrop to his work and Whicheo has gone for a classical surrounding, perhaps more in keeping with Florence. Turner also admitted to Charles Robert Leslie that Stothard was an English 'Watteau'. This furthermore comes across in Whichelo's drawing that has hints of the great French artist. 
 
This important artwork also shows the preparations that Whichelo made for the completed drawing through a sketch on the back of the same sheet which is viewable on the back of the frame (see photos).
 
Medium: pencil and watercolour washes on paper.
 
Inscribed l.l. 'Bocacio'[sic] and signed l.r. 'J.W.' (both hidden by mount), 16 x 18 cm, framed with clear sheet on back of frame showing the drawing by Whichelo on the reverse of the paper.
 
Provenance:  David Cross Gallery (7 Boyces Avenue, Clifton); Collection of Dr Edward Brett.