November 2021
GEORGE RUSSELL NIXON (1802-1878)
George Russell Nixon was the first son of Rev. Robert Nixon. It is assumed that Robert Nixon divided his collection between his two sons. His second son was Francis Russell Nixon and his collection is well documented and does not include 'Rochester Castle with Fishermen Drawing Boats Ashore In A Gale of Wind'. However, Francis' collection does include 'The rising squall, hot wells, from St. Vincent's rock, Bristol' exhibited 1793. Also exhibited in 1793 but not in Francis' collection were 'View on the river Avon, near St. Vincent's rock, Bristol ' and 'Gate of St. Augustine's monastery, Canterbury'. It follows that Rev. Robert Nixon definitely bought 'The rising squall, hot wells, from St. Vincent's rock, Bristol' directly from JMW Turner and it is therefore possible that Nixon bought the other 1793 exhibits also. Since the latter did not feature in Francis' collection we should find out whether they were bought by Robert and bequeathed to George.
'View on the river Avon, near St. Vincent's rock, Bristol ' appeared at auction at Christie's on 27th April 1864. The seller was the artist Leonard Huskinson (aka Huskisson) who by this time was in business as a picture dealer. It appeared with two other works by JMW Turner (for which we have found no record of first owners) and the question arises as to whether these originated from Robert Nixon via George.
The works to search for are therefore as follows:
If George did have these works they would have been acquired from his father, Rev. Robert Nixon, either as gifts when Robert retired to Scotland in 1827 or inherited on Robert's death in 1837.
Leonard Huskinson (known as Huskisson) sold them in 1864 so the time
frame for George's sale would be 1827 to 1864. George married in 1839 and
may have sold his assets to finance the marriage. He moved to Switzerland
around 1841 and apart from a short period spent in Bristol during 1851,
was absent from England. He emigrated to Australia in 1861 and since the
paintings were in London in 1864 it is unlikely that George took them to
Australia with him.
The most likely time for the disposal of Georges paintings was
therefore after his father's death in 1837 and before his move to
Switzerland in 1841. Sales at this time are unlikely to have been directly
to Leonard Huskinson (but possibly could have been to his father, Henry
Huskinson).
George may have taken his paintings to Switzerland. If he disposed of
them just before emigrating to Australia a direct sale to Leonard
Huskinson, around 1860/61, is possible. However, there is no evidence that
George was in London at that time.
1829 George was resident in London.
A
catalogue of Phaenogamous Plants collected in South Kent - Longman
1829 - Gerard Edwards Smith [Title
page][page
5 subscribers] Shows George in London and Francis in Layton, Essex.
1839 George was resident in London and married on 21st September 1839. [Brunswick Valley Historical Society; see below]
1840 George was resident in Switzerland. [Brunswick Valley Historical Society; see below]
1842 George was resident in Rome. [Brunswick Valley Historical Society; see below]
1843 George was resident in Bagni di Lucca (Italy). [Brunswick Valley Historical Society; see below]
1848 George was resident in Italy, this is probably a reference to Varlungo, Florence. [Brunswick Valley Historical Society; see below]
1851 George was resident in Bristol. [Brunswick Valley Historical Society; see below]
1852 George was resident in Switzerland [Brunswick Valley Historical Society; see below]
1853 George was resident in Switzerland [Brunswick Valley Historical Society; see below]
1855 George was resident in Switzerland [Brunswick Valley Historical Society; see below]
1861 George emigrated to Australia
From newsletter 2019 Mullumbimby New South Wales, Australia
On 21 September 1839, in London, twenty-two-year-old Rosalie Adelaide Dougan married thirty-seven-year-old George Russell Nixon. Their first child, George Dougan Nixon, was born in Switzerland in 1840 and died there the same year. Frank was born in Rome in 1842. A sister Angela was born in Bagni di Lucca in 1843, a brother, Frederick Dougan, in Verlungo (1848), another, George Louis, in Bristol (1851). Three more siblings were born in Switzerland, Arthur in Vevey (1852), and Anna (1853) and Clara (1855) in Veytaux. Clara died in infancy.
We must see whether George was in London between 1853 and 1861. Also whether he purchased 'Repose' from Emma Landseer prior to 1840.
Directory Lookups:
Boyles 1857 - nothing
Kelly's 1852 (Post Office) - nothing
Search of Sales Catalogues
Search Terms
Search Years 1827 to 1864
