Regional painting, like the work of Joseph Wright of Derby (AD 1734-97), flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The ‘Norwich School’ of landscape painters, started in 1803, was made up of professional and amateur artists. Its founder, John Crome (1768-1821), trained as a sign painter. He and his colleague, John Sell Cotman (1782-1842), both exploited watercolour to reproduce the huge skies and changing light of the East Anglian landscape.

Watercolour was a cheap and portable medium favoured by the many amateurs of the period. Used by topographical painters like Paul Sandby (1730-1809) in the 18th century, its potential for fine art was recognised in the early 19th century. John Constable (1776-1837) was among its greatest exponents, immortalising the Suffolk countryside of Dedham Vale in his landscapes, although his large, exhibition pictures were in oils.

East Anglia did not produce another artist of Constable’s stature in the 19th century, but professional painters continued to find employment. Frederick Sandys (1832-1904) was born in Norwich, but made his living mainly in London. He produced large, meticulously-painted subjects (mostly of women, Medea, Morgan le Faye) in the style of the Pre-Raphaelites, and was a prolific illustrator and wood engraver. In later life he made large pastel portraits of local patrons such as the Coleman family of Norwich.