Nixon, Split, 1864

July 2020

THE DIVISION OF ROBERT NIXON'S COLLECTION

We know for certain that Nixon's second son Francis, Bishop of Tasmania inherited 'The Rising Squall' and 'The Country Waggon, Snowdon' from Robert.

We know for certain that Robert owned 'River Scene, View on the Dee' but we do not know which son inherited it.

We know almost certainly that Robert owned the 'Rochester Castle, with fishing boats in a gale' but we do not know which son inherited it.

We know that Robert was 'an early patron of Turner' and as such would have been very likely to have bought early exhibited works.

There were two sales in 1864 where two 'sets' of early Turner works appeared

Some retained original Titles:
In the sale of 27th April 1864 Leonard Huskisson presented three exhibited works; 'Remains of Waltham Abbey, Essex' Exhibited 1796, 'View on the river Avon, near St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol' Exhibited 1793, and 'Battle of the Nile, the L'Orient blown up' Exhibited 1799. These three had clearly been well documented by successive owners and had retained their original titles, with only 'Battle of the Nile' being abbreviated. Contrary to Butlin and Joll there is reason to suppose that this was the oil exhibit of 1799.

Others lost their original Titles:
In the sale of 9th July 1864 presented by 'Hogarth' two oils appear (together with Turner watercolours) but we do not have the catalogue yet. The two, 'Country Waggon' and 'Hotwells, storm coming on' are known to have been in the collections of Robert Nixon and subsequently his second son Francis. These pictures had travelled to Tasmania with him where Francis misidentified 'Country Waggon' as Turner's 'first' oil. He simply made a mistake but knew perhaps that one of his Turner oils was the one painted at Foots Cray in 1792. That would suggest that he knew that he had the 'first' oil and that it had not been given to his brother. The 'first' oil referred to here is 'Rochester Castle, with fishing boats in a gale'. Although bought by 'Reynolds' 'Country Waggon' subsequently appeared in the Drake collection (and in the Drake and following sales became known by different titles). Drake clearly a keen Turner collector probably also had 'The Rising Squall' ('Hotwells, storm coming on') at this time.(However, 'Sea view off Dover' in the same sale did not go to Drake)

Thus there appear to be two separate sets of early Turner exhibits and unexhibited work possibly coming from the same original source (Rev. Robert Nixon).

It seems inconceivable that Robert would have bequeathed his entire collection to his second son (Francis). His first son, George, emigrated to Australia with his family in 1861. We have not yet discovered any associations with the exhibition or sale of paintings by George in Australia. The proposition is that George sold his paintings before he emigrated.

In this case we would look for sales around 1860.

Crucial Times and Events around which to look for sales of the early paintings:

1827 When Robert moved to Kenmure - he may have needed cash or the collection was just too big to take all of it.

1837 When Robert died - Sale of assets to pay death duties.

--- at this point the collection may have been divided between George and Francis.

1838 Either son may have sold paintings to raise cash. We know that Francis did not sell all his paintings.

1841 Francis moved to Tasmania. He definitely took some paintings but may have sold others.

1861 George moved to Australia. If he had inherited 'Battle of the Nile' etc. he sold them before 1861. (or came to other arrangements to sell them). However, in 1864 they appeared apparently in Leonard Huskinson's (known as Huskisson) collection.

1862 Francis was ill and returned to London, soon moving on to York. He sold the two pictures mentioned (and possibly others) then by 1865 (possibly with any of his remaining collection to Italy).