In the early 19th century the winged sea-lion or Griffin became the trademark of a revolutionary new business amongst colourmen; Winsor & Newton founded a business based on an educated approach to art and the science of art.
William Winsor, a chemist and Henry Newton, an artist were both in their late twenties when they formed the business in 1832 at Rathbone Place, London in the heart of artistic Fitzrovia.
Being the first colourmen to be qualified in science and colour chemistry, the new business had a devastating effect on the complacent competition of the day.
The improvement of water colours was the partners’ first concern and utilised the moisture retaining properties of glycerine to produce the world’s first moist pan water colours in the early 1830’s. Tube water colour followed in 1842. Their invention revolutionised water colour painting with artists such as Turner and Constable delighted in the new ability to paint quickly, direct from nature.