John Joseph Cotman (1814-1878)

Inscribed on the reverse 'To James Reeve - my only true friend. John 76.'
James Reeve, FGS, was a patron of the arts, collector, archivist and painter whose links with the Norfolk and Norwich Museum spanned over seventy years. As curator from 1851-1910, he knew many of the Norwich School artists personally and was instrumental in building the museum's Norwich School collection. He sold the majority of his collection to the British Museum in 1902.