Thomas Leeson Scrase Rowbotham

The Braikenridge Collection makes Bristol's early 19th century appearance one of the best documented of any English city. Rowbotham was born in Bath, Somerset in 1782, where he became a teacher of marine painting, cottage figures and landscape. His father had become owner of the Theatre Royal, Bath. Besides the 258 watercolours, he also produced around 100 drawings for Braikenridge depicting views of Brislington, Bristol. In 1832 he also produced some large panoramas of Bristol. In 1832 and 1833 he collaborated with William James Müller to produce engravings of the Bristol Riots of 1831. Rowbotham does not seem to have participated in the activities of the Bristol School of artists. However, in late 1832 or early 1833 Rowbotham was a founder member of the formal sketching club for evening sketching meetings, which was the successor of the more informal Bristol School. Later he became professor of drawing at the Royal Naval School, New Cross, London. He wrote The Art of Landscape Painting in Water Colours, jointly with his son, and The Art of Sketching from Nature, for which his son provided the illustrations. He died in 1853 at Camberwell, London. His professorship at the Royal Naval School was taken over by his son. The Braikenridge Collection is in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.

The field of work recorded is watercolor. Places of work recorded in the authority are Bristol. Work by Thomas Leeson Scrase Rowbotham is recorded in the collections of Yale Center for British Art and Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery.

• Name — Thomas Leeson Scrase Rowbotham • Born — 1782 • Birthplace — Bath, Somerset • Died — 1853 • Place of death — Camberwell, London • Known for — Watercolour, Oil painting