London Views – Old London Bridge Looking Towards Monument and Blackfriars Looking Towards St. Pauls

ATTRIBUTED TO J (R) PAUL SNR

Working from 1820

Much mystery and intrigue surrounds the life and career of this painter and his studio.
It seems fairly certain that he started life in Norwich where his father Robert was a painter of landscapes.
It is never quite clear as to whether he is the artist Joseph Paul or not.
Most stories about his life seem to concur that he got into trouble with the authorities after a pub brawl in Norwich and he fled to London.

He seems to have used his brush to earn living painting replicas of Canaletto and Samuel Scott’s views of London, which have always been in high demand.
By 1840, it is said that Paul had set up as a dealer with an Art shop in Cheapside.
There are various anecdotes about famous artists passing his shop window and seeing their work replicated.
Possibly apocryphal, but it is said that Turner passed the shop and saw three of his subjects all melted into one canvas!

It is said that he had a son who worked with him and continued the “the family firm” of producing these famous and popular views after his father’s death.
What is certain, is that his (and his sons work) are very easy to spot and accurately attribute due to the very particular way they are painted.

It is said he had five wives and despite an appetite for drink, lived into his 80’s.

(Framed sizes)