| Description | Consists of sketchbooks compiled by Scharf in a personal capacity. The sketchbooks fall roughly into two groups; pre 1854 and post 1854.
The earlier group was commenced when Scharf was eleven years old and reflects the process in which he obtained draughtsmanship skills. It details his early travels as a lecturer, researcher and teacher of art.
The later sketchbooks, of uniform size, were created during Scharf's private travels around the United Kingdom and his numerous visits to various country houses, exhibitions, museums and galleries where he conducted surveys of the collections of works of art they contained.
The sketchbooks also contain detailed notes on particular pictures and usually include notes Scharf added later, on the sale or donation of the paintings, their numbers in relevant catalogues as well as references to the Trustees' sketchbooks [NPG7/1/3/1].
The sketchbooks also include, in particular, many drawings and informal studies of the people with whom he socialised and the recreational activities in which they participated.
The sketchbooks titles and numbers were assigned by Scharf.
Sketchbooks 128-133 are blank. |
| ImageCaption | Cover of one of Scharf's private sketchbooks , nd |