LONDON.- Bonhams are to sell East Anglian paintings with East American connections in their East Anglian View auction in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on Thursday 2nd December 2010.

Flatford, Ipswich, Dedham, Needham, Yarmouth have something in common. They are all Massachusetts locations which have a namesake town or village in East Anglia – an area north of London comprising the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Many of the early American settlers came from these parts and no doubt named their new American settlements out of nostalgia for their home towns.

What else do these places have in common? They are all locations depicted in paintings to be sold in Bonhams ‘East Anglian View’ auction. This annual sale was established a decade ago and celebrates the rich artistic heritage of this corner of England. East Anglia has traditionally been England’s artistic heartland and artists from the region include John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, Sir Alfred Munnings, Sir Henry Moore and Dame Elizabeth Frink. Over the years countless others have been on pilgrimages to the area for artistic inspiration, particularly during the 20th Century when the primitive, undulating landscape and high brooding skies became almost compulsory subject matter for any self-respecting artist. John Constable wrote of the region’s landscape: ‘These scenes made me a painter, and I am grateful.’

Bonhams sale in December comprises over 500 paintings at estimates to suit all pockets so it needn’t be expensive to buy a piece of history from your town’s namesake. Daniel Wright of Bonhams, comments, “The links between these two regions go back centuries and we are excited to be selling works connecting towns across the Atlantic Ocean. Particular highlights include Campbell Archibald Mellon’s ‘Yarmouth: Early Morning’ (est. £7,000-10,000) and Thomas Pyne’s ‘Flatford Meadow’ (est. £400-600).”