GB 1518 CI/JJF - FOSTER, Joshua James (1847-1923)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 1518 CI/JJF

Title

FOSTER, Joshua James (1847-1923)

Date(s)

  • 1880-1935 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

1 box

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Born in Dorchester, 1847; trained with Messrs Agnew, Fine Art Publishers, c.1866-c.1875; purchased the London Art Business of Messrs Dickinson, New Bond Street, c.1875; Honorary Secretary of the Folk-lore Society, 1885-1892; became interested in the art of miniature painting and visted a large number of collections in Britain and abroad; Member of the British Committee International Exhibition of Miniatures, 1912; produced a large number of publications relating to the History of Art, and miniature paintings in particular; published Wessex Worthies, biographies of notable Wessex personages, 1920; continued his research for a dictionary of miniature painters, published posthumously by his daughter; died 1923.
Publications: Catalogue of a Loan Collection of Miniatures and Enamels [Compiled by J J Foster]([London,] 1880); British Miniature Painters and their works (Sampson, Low & Co, London, 1898); The Stuarts, 2 vols (Dickinsons, London; E P Dutton & Co, New York, 1902); Miniature Painters, British and Foreign, with some account of those who practised in America in the eighteenth century, 2 vols (Dickinsons, London; E P Dutton & Co, New York, 1903); The Life of George Morland, with remarks on his works with an introduction and notes by J J Foster (Dickinsons, London, 1904) [Reprint of: The Life of George Morland by Vernor, Hood, & Sharpe (J Walker, London, 1807)]; Concerning the True Portraiture of Mary, Queen of Scots (Dickinsons, London, 1904); French Art from Watteau to Prud'hon Edited by J J Foster (Dickinsons, London, 1905-1907); Chats on Old Miniatures (T Fisher Unwin, London, 1908); Samuel Cooper and the English miniature painters of the XVII Century, with supplement: A List, alphabetically arranged, of works of English miniature painters of the XVII century, with a description of the same, names of the owners and remarks, 2 vols (Dickinsons, London, 1914-1916); Wessex Worthies - Dorset (Dickinsons, London, 1920); A Dictionary of Painters of Miniatures, 1525-1850 edited by Ethel M Foster (P Allan & Co, London, 1926).

Archival history

GB 1518 CI/JJF 1880-1935 Collection (fonds) 1 box Foster , Joshua James , 1847-1923 , arts historian
Born in Dorchester, 1847; trained with Messrs Agnew, Fine Art Publishers, c.1866-c.1875; purchased the London Art Business of Messrs Dickinson, New Bond Street, c.1875; Honorary Secretary of the Folk-lore Society, 1885-1892; became interested in the art of miniature painting and visted a large number of collections in Britain and abroad; Member of the British Committee International Exhibition of Miniatures, 1912; produced a large number of publications relating to the History of Art, and miniature paintings in particular; published Wessex Worthies, biographies of notable Wessex personages, 1920; continued his research for a dictionary of miniature painters, published posthumously by his daughter; died 1923.
Publications: Catalogue of a Loan Collection of Miniatures and Enamels [Compiled by J J Foster]([London,] 1880); British Miniature Painters and their works (Sampson, Low & Co, London, 1898); The Stuarts, 2 vols (Dickinsons, London; E P Dutton & Co, New York, 1902); Miniature Painters, British and Foreign, with some account of those who practised in America in the eighteenth century, 2 vols (Dickinsons, London; E P Dutton & Co, New York, 1903); The Life of George Morland, with remarks on his works with an introduction and notes by J J Foster (Dickinsons, London, 1904) [Reprint of: The Life of George Morland by Vernor, Hood, & Sharpe (J Walker, London, 1807)]; Concerning the True Portraiture of Mary, Queen of Scots (Dickinsons, London, 1904); French Art from Watteau to Prud'hon Edited by J J Foster (Dickinsons, London, 1905-1907); Chats on Old Miniatures (T Fisher Unwin, London, 1908); Samuel Cooper and the English miniature painters of the XVII Century, with supplement: A List, alphabetically arranged, of works of English miniature painters of the XVII century, with a description of the same, names of the owners and remarks, 2 vols (Dickinsons, London, 1914-1916); Wessex Worthies - Dorset (Dickinsons, London, 1920); A Dictionary of Painters of Miniatures, 1525-1850 edited by Ethel M Foster (P Allan & Co, London, 1926).

The papers were donated to the Courtauld in 1934 and 1935, by Foster's son and daughter.

Research material, manuscripts, and publications of Joshua James Foster, 1880-1935, notably exhibition catalogues, 1880-1881, 1908, 1912; catalogues of miniatures owned by Sir H Stafford Northcote, [1902], and the Duke of Buccleugh (John Charles Montagu-Douglas-Scott) at the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1916-1917; proofs of articles for The Antiquary, [1884]-1889, and other publications, 1899, 1909-1918, with related letters to Foster from Viscount Cobham (Charles George Lyttelton), Earl of Gosford, (Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson), Sir William Hesketh Lever, M H (Marion Harry) Spielmann, Lord Weardale (Philip James Stanhope); transcripts of published articles relating to Richard Crosse, artist, post 1910; published works annotated by Foster, 1916-1917; notes and an article on miniatures in private collections, 1912-[1916]; newspaper cuttings relating to Wessex Worthies, 1921; printed articles written by Foster, relating to miniatures and Giles Hussey, artist, 1923;
correspondence, notably relating to research projects, 1895-1917, including letter relating to the publication of British Miniature Painters, 1898, correspondence concerning the Buccleuch Miniatures, 1916, and a letter from Sir Robert Witt, 1917;
miscellaneous material collected by Foster's children, 1925-1932, notably sales catalogues featuring miniatures, 1925-1932; newspaper cuttings, 1925-1929; sales catalogue including books sold from Foster's library, 1935.

Arranged in three series of research material, correspondence and items collected by Foster's children after his death.

Initial applications should be made to the Deputy Librarian, Courtauld Institute of Art, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R ORN. At least one week's notice is generally required for access to archival material.

Material may be photocopied subject to the approval of the Librarian or Archivist, and provided it does not breach the provisions of the Copyright Act, 1988.
English

A detailed catalogue is available in the Courtauld Institute Library.

Sources: Who's Who 1897-1996 (A & C Black, 1996); Courtauld Institute of Art catalogue; British Library On-Line Public Access Catalogue 97. Compiled by Julie Tancell as part of the AIM25 Project. National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997. April 2000 Acheson , Archibald Brabazon Sparrow , 1841-1922 , 4th Earl of Gosford x Gosford , 4th Earl of Art collections Art history Arts Art theory Crosse , Richard , 1742-1810 , miniature painter Exhibitions Fine arts Foster , Joshua James , 1847-1923 , arts historian Hussey , Giles , 1710-1788 , painter Lever , William Hesketh , 1851-1925 , 1st Viscount Leverhulme , industrialist x Leverhulme , 1st Viscount Lyttelton , Charles George , 1842-1922 , 8th Viscount Cobham x Cobham , 8th Viscount Miniature paintings Northcote , Henry Stafford , 1846-1911 , 1st Baron Northcote , Governor General of Australia x Northcote , 1st Baron Painting Paintings Scott , John Charles , Montagu-Douglas- , 1864-1935 , 7th Duke of Buccleugh x Buccleugh , 7th Duke of x Montagu-Douglas-Scott , John Charles Spielmann , Marion Harry Alexander , 1858-1948 , art historian Stanhope , Philip James , 1847-1923 , 1st Baron Weardale x Weardale , 1st Baron Victoria and Albert Museum Witt , Sir , Robert Clermont , 1872-1952 , Knight , art collector Illustrations Visual materials Collections Cultural resources

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The papers were donated to the Courtauld in 1934 and 1935, by Foster's son and daughter.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Research material, manuscripts, and publications of Joshua James Foster, 1880-1935, notably exhibition catalogues, 1880-1881, 1908, 1912; catalogues of miniatures owned by Sir H Stafford Northcote, [1902], and the Duke of Buccleugh (John Charles Montagu-Douglas-Scott) at the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1916-1917; proofs of articles for The Antiquary, [1884]-1889, and other publications, 1899, 1909-1918, with related letters to Foster from Viscount Cobham (Charles George Lyttelton), Earl of Gosford, (Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson), Sir William Hesketh Lever, M H (Marion Harry) Spielmann, Lord Weardale (Philip James Stanhope); transcripts of published articles relating to Richard Crosse, artist, post 1910; published works annotated by Foster, 1916-1917; notes and an article on miniatures in private collections, 1912-[1916]; newspaper cuttings relating to Wessex Worthies, 1921; printed articles written by Foster, relating to miniatures and Giles Hussey, artist, 1923;
correspondence, notably relating to research projects, 1895-1917, including letter relating to the publication of British Miniature Painters, 1898, correspondence concerning the Buccleuch Miniatures, 1916, and a letter from Sir Robert Witt, 1917;
miscellaneous material collected by Foster's children, 1925-1932, notably sales catalogues featuring miniatures, 1925-1932; newspaper cuttings, 1925-1929; sales catalogue including books sold from Foster's library, 1935.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged in three series of research material, correspondence and items collected by Foster's children after his death.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Initial applications should be made to the Deputy Librarian, Courtauld Institute of Art, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R ORN. At least one week's notice is generally required for access to archival material.

Conditions governing reproduction

Material may be photocopied subject to the approval of the Librarian or Archivist, and provided it does not breach the provisions of the Copyright Act, 1988.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

A detailed catalogue is available in the Courtauld Institute Library.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Courtauld Institute of Art

Rules and/or conventions used

National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area