Cotmania. Vol. II. 1927-8

{diary entry}
April 26. 1928. B. Boswell lunched with me at Arts Club & showed me a watercolour drawing, inscribed in large rambling writing, all along the bottom - "J.S. Cotman - 1839. Unfinished." It was the interior of a great baroque room, pictures, including a tripptitch (sic), on the far wall, & a table in centre & 3 figures (J.S.C. Mrs Cotman & Anne?) seated at the table, reading. A tall reading lamp with green shade, made out of a bit of green paper cut out & stuck on: heavy shadow behind them, & superbly wrought curtain on right books etc, sketchily indicated with chinese white on floor in foreground. Very great technique - but the effect strained & frowsy. 13½ x 18¾ [[c 14" x 19"]] It was given by J.S.C to his old doctor, [Dr.] [Firth], St Giles St. Norwich, & was sold to Boswell by [Dr.] F's descendant.
He also had an oil, c 15 x 19 - of St Bennet's Abbey. Same view as the etching of 1813, but less on the left & no cows on right. The light on the Abbey & chalk wall a strong yellow. Foreground dirty & messy reeds, fine sky. Probably the work of a pupil working with Cotman.

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{diary entry}
Boswell wrote 1.5.'28 saying he had sold this drawing to Leggatt Bros. They sold it to R. J. Colman.
In Dicke's 'Norwich School' this picture is wrongly ascribed to 1830.
Exhibited Burlington Fine Arts Club 1888 No. 68 & also wrongly dated there.