A Pioneer of Atmospheric Watercolour: The Life and Art of Thomas Girtin Thomas Girtin, a name perhaps less immediately recognizable than his contemporary J.M.W. Turner, nevertheless occupies a pivotal position in the history of British art. Born in Southwark, London, in 1775, Girtin’s brief but intensely productive career fundamentally altered perceptions of watercolour painting, elevating it from a primarily topographical pursuit to a medium capable of profound emotional expression and grand artistic ambition. His early life was marked by loss; the death of his father, a prosperous brushmak…