Jonathan Anderson Bell (3 November 1806 – 28 February 1865) was a Scottish architect, known also as a draughtsman for watercolour paintings.

Biography

Bell was born in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

, the third child and second son of advocate James Bell and Janet Hamilton Bell. He was the brother of

Henry Glassford Bell Henry Glassford Bell (5 November 18037 January 1874) was a Scotland, Scottish lawyer, poet and historian. Life Born in Glasgow, the son of advocate James Bell, he received his education at the High School of Glasgow, Glasgow High School and at ...

and

Jane Cross Simpson Jane Cross Simpson (1811–1886) was a Scottish writer, known as a hymn-writer and poet. Life The daughter of James Bell, advocate, and sister to Henry Glassford Bell and Jonathan Anderson Bell, she was born Jane Cross Bell in Glasgow on 12 Nove ...

, He was educated at

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and offi ...

. He spent most of 1829 and 1830 in Rome, as an art student. He then served his articles as an architect, and remained for some years afterwards, in the office of Messrs. Rickman & Hutchison of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

Thomas Rickman Thomas Rickman (8 June 17764 January 1841) was an English architect and architectural antiquary who was a major figure in the Gothic Revival. He is particularly remembered for his ''Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture'' ...

was a major figure of the English

Gothic revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

, and became a close friend. For around 27 years, Bell practised as an architect in Edinburgh. His designs included country houses, such as Beeslack for

Charles Cowan Charles Cowan (7 June 1801 – 1889) was a Scottish politician and paper-maker. Life He was born in Charlotte Street in Edinburgh on 7 June 1801, the son of Alexander Cowan, papermaker and philanthropist, and Elizabeth Hall, daughter of George ...

, and the

Scottish baronial Scottish baronial or Scots baronial is an architectural style of 19th-century Gothic Revival which revived the forms and ornaments of historical architecture of Scotland in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period. Reminiscent of Scot ...

Victoria Buildings, Glasgow for Archibald Orr Ewing. He was a member of the Institute of Scottish Architects. In 1839 he was appointed secretary to the Royal Association for the Promotion of the Fine Arts in Scotland, a position he retained it until his death. Bell died 28 February 1865.

Works

Thirty of the engravings in

John Le Keux John Le Keux (4 June 1783 – 2 April 1846) was a British engraver. Life Born in Sun Street, Bishopsgate, London, on 4 June 1783, and baptised at St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, in September of that year, he was son of Peter Le Keux and Anne Dyer ...

's ''Memorials of Cambridge'' are from Bell's drawings. His ''Dryburgh Abbey'' was engraved by William Miller. As a watercolour painter, he was known for landscapes and marine scenes, Italian subjects, and still lifes. Bell's poems were printed only for private circulation. The volume, printed posthumously in 1865, contained a biography.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Jonathan Anderson 1806 births 1865 deaths Architects from Edinburgh British draughtsmen Scottish watercolourists