This book is a follow-on from my first book, Early Sea Painters, which charted the period in England between the Van de Veldes and Peter Monamy (roughly 1680-1720). This was a time when a small wave of Dutch and Flemish marine artists came to live and work in England in the wake of the Van de Veldes. It was while pursuing the research on these rather rare and obscure early sea painters that I realised what an important figure Peter Monamy was.

Peter Monamy (1681-1749) was the first English marine artist of any stature and it is therefore surprising that hitherto so little has been known or written about him. While researching for Early Sea Painters, E B. Cockett came to realise what an important figure and prolific artist he was and that a proper study was long overdue.

This is the first detailed biography and full assessment of Monamy's life and work. His biographical details and artistic development are put into the context of the general historical and art history background to the Monamy years. His whole output, including drawings by and prints after him, is categorised,and there are chapters on other painters in his circle.

Many works appearing on the market as by Monamy or attributed to Monamy are in fact not 'true' Monamys but are by other contemporary artists. A chapter is devoted to a full assessment of Francis Swaine's work, and a further chapter deals with the work of four minor painters of Monamy's circle, Thomas Mellish, T. Leemans, Thomas Allen and J. Cook. The practical details of how to recognise a true Monamy - and differentiate it from all the other rather similar artists of the period - are gone into in some detail.

The book is profusely illustrated with nearly one hundred illustrations, most in colour.

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1   Biography, Origins and Artistic Development

Chapter 2   The Historical Background to Monamy's Life as a Marine Artist

Chapter 3   The Paintings

Chapter 4   Drawings and Prints

Chapter 5   Francis Swaine (1720-1783)

Chapter 6   Some Rarer Marine Artists of the Monamy Period

            Thomas Mellish

            T. Leemans

            Thomas Allen

            J. Cook

Index