John Crome (1768–1821)

• Was an English landscape painter of the Romantic era.
• John Crome was born in Norwich.
• He was the son of John Crome, a weaver, and his wife Elizabeth.
• After a period working as an errand boy for a doctor (from the age of 12), he was apprenticed to Francis Whisler, a house, coach and sign painter.
• In October 1792 Crome married Phoebe Berney.
• They produced two daughters and six sons, two of whom, John Berney Crome and William Henry Crome became landscape painters. 

• In 1803 Crome and Ladbrooke formed the Norwich Society of Artists, a group that also included Robert Dixon, Charles Hodgson, Daniel Coppin, James Stark and George Vincent.

• Their first exhibition was in 1805; it marked the start of the Norwich School of painters, the first art movement created outside London.
• He visited Paris in 1814, following the defeat of Napoleon, and later exhibited views of Paris, Boulogne, and Ostend.

• Crome was drawing master at Norwich School for many years.

• He died at his house in Gildengate, Norwich, on 22 April 1821.

• On his death-bed he is said to have gasped, "Oh Hobbema, my dear Hobbema, how I have loved you".

• Crome worked in both watercolour and oil, producing more than 300 oil paintings during his career.

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