John Crome was, with Cotman, the major artist of the Norwich School. He began life as an errand boy, but apprenticed himself to a sign painter, and is said to have taught himself by being allowed to copy pictures by Gainsborough and Hobbema in the collection of Thomas Harvey of Catton, who was his patron from 1790 (although little is known of his work before 1805). Certainly the Dutch 17th century is the principal influence of his style, together with that of Wilson - a perceptive contemporary drscribed him as 'combining Ruisdeal with Gainsborough'. His observation of Norfolk scenery has the same freshness as Hobbema and Ruisdael, while Cuyp and Wilson influenced his sense of design and of light. He founded the Norwich School of Artists in 1803 and exhibited there regularly.

In 1814, along with many other British artists, he went to Paris to see the pictures looted by Napoleon, and on the way he visited Belgium. H emade a number of etchings, but almost all were 'finished' by others after his death, so that his graphic work is less important than Cotman's.

He is well represented in Norwich and other works are in Boston, Edinburgh, London (NG, Tate, Courtauld Inst.), New York (Met. Mus.), Ottawa and Yale (CBA). He was often called 'Old Crome' to distinguish him from his son, John Berney Crome (1794-1842), who imitated him. The large picture of the Yarmouth Water Frolic (London, Kenwood) is at least partly by the younger man, but the sketch for it (private coll.) is certainly by the elder. There are other works by J.B. Crome in Norwich. James Stark was also a pupil of Old Crome.

John Crome rare prints @ ebay.com (direct link to the prints)

Source: The Penguin Dictionary of Art and Artists (Penguin Reference Books)