Description: A rare printed engraving by a 'Richard Bonington', (dated at 1807) on a page with a watermark saying 1810, which was taken out of a book. It would be marvellous to credit this engraving to Nottingham's famous artist; Richard Parkes Bonington (1802-1828), who was born in Arnold, and spent most of his younger years in the City of Nottingham, but the dates would be wrong for this (unless he was an extremely proficient engraver at an early age. Though it should be noted the he had published 15 lithographs by 1824). The engraving is more likely to have been done by his father, who was successively a gaoler, a drawing master and a lace-maker, and who helped the younger Richard in his studies (his father was also fond of company and not unknown to enjoy a bottle of wine, which did not help the young Richard Bonington as much as he could have). Richard Bonington's mother, kept a school to assist with the household expenses, she was of great ability and refinement which assisted her in her work. Richard Bonington cared little for the usual sports of boys and spent all his time on his passion of sketching. In 1817-1818 his father moved to Calais then on to Paris, during the younger Richard's stay in Paris he became a student of Ecole des Beaux Arts. At the age of 20, Richard went to Italy where he learned much in 7 years Richard produced many fine and varied paintings, this later works were considered fine works of art. Unfortunately Richard Parkes Bonington died at the age of 26 in London due to over work and 'excessive exposure to the sun', his remains were interred with his mothers in Kensal Green Cemetery. The Wallace collection has 35 of his works in oil and water-colours, the Nottingham Museum has a few of his pictures, and the School of Art in Nottingham had a statue of him in the grounds which was donated by Watson Fothergill.