Editing John Sell Cotman (section)

===London and Yorkshire===
[[File:Cotmanː Devil's Elbow, Rokeby Park.jpg|thumb|left|alt=watercolour by Cotman|''Devil's Elbow, Rokeby Park'' ({{circa|1806}}), Norfolk Museums Collections]]
Cotman moved to London, probably in 1798.{{sfn|Moore|1985|p=67}} He lived at 28 Gerrard Street, [[Soho]],{{sfn|Rajnai|1982|p=30}} initially making a living through [[Commission (art)|commissions]] from [[Old master print|print-sellers]]. His sketches at Rudulph Ackerman's print shop at 96 [[Strand, London|The Strand]] were studied by the Norwich artist [[John Thirtle]] when a young man.{{sfn|Dickes|1905|p=249}}{{sfn|Clifford|1965|p=24}} Cotman came under the [[patronage]] of [[Thomas Monro (art collector)|Thomas Munro]], physician to the [[Bridewell and Bethlehem Hospitals]], whose house in Adelphi Terrace was a [[studio]] and a meeting place for artists that had included the young [[J. M. W. Turner]] and [[Thomas Girtin]].{{sfn|Rajnai|1982|p=30}} 

Cotman was influenced by Girtin, and soon joined his sketching club.{{sfn|Moore|1985|p=67}} During the summer of 1799 the two artists travelled together south of London to [[Surrey]] on a drawing expedition.{{sfn|Dickes|1905|pp=249–250}} In 1800 (and again in 1802 with his landlord, the artist [[Paul Sandby Munn]]), Cotman travelled to [[Wales]] on a sketching trip.{{sfn|Moore|1985|p=67}}{{sfn|Rajnai|1982|p=30}} 

In 1800, Cotman exhibited at the [[Royal Academy]] for the first time.{{sfn|Rajnai|1982|p=30}} He exhibited other Welsh scenes at the Royal Academy in 1801 and 1802.{{sfn|Binyon|1897|p=50}} In 1800, he was awarded an honorary [[Palette (painting)|palette]] by the [[Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce|Society of Arts]].{{sfn|Rajnai|1982|p=30}} He continued to exhibit at the Academy until 1806.{{sfn|Lyles|Hamlyn|1997|p=206}} He was based during the early 1800s in London, but is known to have advertised in Norwich—in September 1802 he advertised his services as a drawing teacher in the ''Norwich Mercury''.{{sfn|Binyon|1897|p=52}}

In the three summers of 1803{{ndash}}1805, Cotman stayed with the Cholmeley family at [[Brandsby#Notable landmarks|Brandsby Hall]] in [[Yorkshire]].{{sfn|Moore|1985|p=67}} On the last of these three visits from London,{{refn|1=During the early 1800s, Cotman's London address was 20, Woodstock Street.{{sfn|Rajnai|1982|p=30}} |group=note}} he made a series of [[Watercolor painting|watercolours]] of the [[River Greta, Durham|River Greta]],{{sfn|Lyles|Hamlyn|1997|p=206}} after he was invited to visit [[Rokeby Park]], the home of the English traveller [[John Bacon Sawrey Morritt|John Morritt]]. Cotman's delicate paintings from these visits are among the finest produced by a European watercolourist.{{sfn|Moore|1985|p=67}}