Brighton: Blue plaque to be unveiled to commemorate renowned artist

The plaque, honouring Richard Henry Nibbs, an artist from the city, will be unveiled in Buckingham Place, Brighton, at noon today.

The event, organised by the city’s commemorative plaque panel, with its chairman Roger Amerena, will see people give speeches to remember Mr Nibbs, who died in 1893.

The new mayor Councillor Jackie O’Quinn and Captain Brian Nibbs will also giving speeches.

Mr Nibbs was born in 1816 and was a renowned marine painter.  

Residents might recognise his work as some of his paintings are in the Royal Pavilion.

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His painting of H.M.S. Vengeance at Spithead is currently hanging in the Adelaide Rooms, and another painting of Queen Victoria landing at the Chain Pier, Brighton in 1843 is also at the Pavilion.

Queen Victoria Landing at Brighton (Image: Brighton and Hove Museums)

Before Mr Nibbs he took up painting, he had also been recognised as a musician.

“He is known primarily as an artist and I have no doubt in the future that he will rank among the finest of his time,” said Mr Amerena.

He was educated in Worthing and trained in the music, and become something of a some celebrity as a cello player.

For many years he was in the orchestra of the Theatre Royal, Brighton, and was considered an excellent instrumentalist both as a soloist and an orchestral player.

A mock-up of the plaque to be unveiled (Image: Brighton and Hove Commemorative Plaque Panel)

Later he moved to London and was a member of an orchestra.

In the middle of his life a friend gave him a handsome legacy which allowed him to devote his entire time to painting.

He loved painting even more than his music and he became, during the Victorian period, widely known for his pictures but, Mr Amerena says, like so many fine artists of his time he has only really come back into the limelight in the last five years or so.

Mr Amerena said: “Anybody who has seen a number of his pictures may find this fact difficult to understand - I  certainly do - particularly in regard to his marine paintings. Some of these seem to me to be far superior to any of his contemporaries.”