Edinburgh: Colours of a city

A SERIES of 33 paintings capturing the spirit of early 19th century Edinburgh, from romantic views that are remarkably similar to what we see today to those that are wholly unrecognisable, go under the hammer in the city later this month.

• Edinburgh from the Water of Leith. Picture: TSPL/Greg Macvean

They were painted in 1825 by John Ewbank, best known for his marine views of Britain's north east coast. Although the record price for one of his oil paintings is 41,000, the mounted but unframed watercolour works of Edinburgh carried an estimated value of 15,000-20,000 for the whole group.

Ewbank was born in Gateshead in 1799, and moved to Edinburgh to study under the Scottish landscape and portrait painter Alexander Nasmyth.

Afterwards, Ewbank remained in Edinburgh, and became a popular art teacher and a founding member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1826.

However, after his wife left him and emigrated to Australia with at least one of their children, the grief-stricken artist is said to have descended into hopeless alcoholism. Prestigious Scottish artists' institution the RSA stripped him of his membership in 1838, and he died penniless in 1847.

The paintings go up for sale at Bonhams auctioneers on 17 August, as part of the four-day annual Scottish sale. The event also includes works from the Scottish Colourists, Anne Redpath and Dame Elizabeth Blackadder.

Records show these Ewbank originals were painted for Dr James Browne's Picturesque Views of Edinburgh, and then engraved for publication.

Chris Brickley, head of paintings at Bonhams, said Ewbank is mostly seen as a marine painter known for coastal views whose oils – which are typically priced far higher than watercolours – often sell for up to 20,000-30,000. Shipping in the Harbour, South Shields, an image recording his home turf of Newcastle, sold for 41,000 in 2002.

Brickley said: "He's a nice artist. He's more erratic later on his career, like lots of these artists. But these are lovely little vignettes, and of beautiful quality.

"Some of the views haven't changed much and others are unrecognisable, the buildings have gone completely.

"There are almost pastoral views of Edinburgh from Craigleith, or a lovely view from Carlton Hill looking at the Regency city expanding at a rate of knots in the early years of the 19th century."

Ewbank was said to be strongly influenced by 17th century Dutch artists, particularly Willem and Adriaen Van de Velde.

Prints of his painting The Entry of George IV into Edinburgh from the Carlton Hill, sell over the internet.

Brickley said the watercolours came from a private Edinburgh collector who bought them from a dealer about 20 years ago and could be tempting for another buyer, although they deserved a place in a Scottish art gallery.

"They look pretty good value individually, but they are a bit of social history," he said.