Bartholomew Fair

This lively watercolour of Bartholomew Fair shows the entertainments literally in full swing with the rides and sideshows displayed on the left. Bartholomew Fair was acknowledged as being the most famous fair in London which was held every August. In this crowded scene we see an early ferris wheel far left, people eating under an awning, watching masquerades and pantomimes.

It was painted by John Nixon (1750-1818), a merchant by profession, who was also a talented amateur artist who exhibited at the Royal Academy. He moved in fashionable circles in Brighton, London and Bath, capturing the humour of scenes which he observed. Many of his watercolours were engraved by his friend Thomas Rowlandson and this image is a typical composition for Nixon, appearing almost as a closed stage set.