Archive: SDK Sydney Decimus Kitson Archive
Reference Number: SDK/1/2/1/2
Page: 27 recto
Description
Visits to the Tate, British Museum and Oxford / letter from Laurence Binyon re photograph of Marsh's drawing
diary entries / letter
Date: 26 Mar 1928 - 14 Apr 1928
Transcription
{diary entries}
Monday March 26, 1928
Took my small 'York' Cotman watercolour to the Tate. Saw Messrs. Aitkin, [Manson?] & Ede: found that Ed: Marsh's Cotman had been through the Flood & was being reconditioned at the British Museum. Noticed a Cotman oil (c.1815?) of an old shed: fine quality. 'Lent anonymously'.
Tuesday March 27
Went to British Museum. Saw Laurence Binyon, who took me to see England in the workshop: found that Marsh's drawing was the same subject as the 'Water Gate, York' at the Whitworth Institute & the same size. (8¾ x 13⅝) called 'Tower in Normandy' reproduced in Neville Lytton's 'Watercolour' (1911)
Saturday March 29 Shown to Bell at Ashmolean, who considered it to be too faded to have aesthetic value: disliked the wild pencil work.
Saturday April 14 Visited the Provost of Oriel. He has a large collection of watercolours by W. Turner of Oxford: many of them very large eg view of Oxford from Whiteham Hill, & view of Oxford in flood time. A very desirable small 'Iffley Church', very tender in tone, good in design.
/
{letter}
National Scheme for Disabled Men
2 April 1928
Department of Prints and Drawings, British Museum, London: W.C.1.
Dear Mr Kitson,
Marsh says he has no objection to his drawing being photographed. He wishes to be remembered to you.
Yours sincerely
Laurence Binyon