(In that year the society returned to its original form as the Society of Painters in Water Colours.) Richter was a pioneer in painting from nature, in both practice and theory. In 1812 he painted the oil "Christ Giving Sight to the Blind", in bright sunlight on the roof of his house in Newman Street. The work was purchased by the trustees of the British Institution for 500 guineas and later presented to the New Church, Greenwich, completed in 1825, where it was installed as an altarpiece. A second version, attempting to improve on its truth to nature, was exhibited four years later. An engraving of this was done in 1816 by John Young. Then, in 1817, he published the pamphlet "Daylight: a recent discovery in the art of painting, with hints on the philosophy of the fine arts, and on that of the human mind, as first dissected by Immanuel Kant". His more general ideas, including his approach to colour and use of models of his compositions in clay or wax, influenced other painters, notably the miniature painter James Holmes. "Daylight" combined his artistic interests with his study of metaphysical philosophy. Richter also wrote the article "Metaphysics" in the "Encyclopaedia Londonensis" and a paper, "German Transcendentalism" (1855). In 1821 Richter was again elected to the Society of Painters in Water Colours, though his membership and the frequency of his exhibits varied through the decade. Between 1827 and 1828, John Sartain apprenticed under Richter. In 1823, the 14-year-old Sartain had sought become an experienced engraver under the indenture of John Swaine of the Merchant and Tailors Company. in 1828, Sartain continued his apprenticeship under Richter. By now he was an experienced engraver and Richter gave him his first attempt at "stipple on steel" or Mezzotint that was titled "Omphale". Around that time, Richter had painted "The Tight Shoe" and had requested that Sartain do the engraving. Sartain did so, then later did additional engravings after he went to the US. Richter had hoped that Sartain would also do the engraving for his painting, "The Brute of a Husband", but their relationship had soured and Sartain left Richter's employ to go out on his own.