Cotmania. Vol. II. 1927-8

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ART STANDARDS AT NOTTINGHAM.
DUBIOUS PICTURES IN CITY GALLERY.
WHERE PRUNING WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS.
I purposely leave the pictures to the last because, despite its connection with two great pioneers of British art, Paul Sandby and Bonington, Nottingham has not yet got quite the paintings and drawings it deserves. "Transept of the Abbey of St. Bertin" is a beautiful Bonington, lovely in its lighting and delicate colour, which reveals the painter well nigh at his zenith. Of the others "Fisher Folk on the Coast of Normandy" is larger and authentic, if less fine in quality, and the smaller self-portrait of Bonington grown-up can also be accepted, but most of the others are distinctly dubious.
Sometimes it is necessary to look a gift-horse sternly in the mouth, and this has to be done with two works given by the late Mr. James Orrock. "Meditation" (14), probably a copy from an engraving, should at most be labelled "School of Bonington," while the name of Richard Wilson ought never to be associated with No. 118, "Ruins of a Villa near Rome."
Still more unfortunate is the attribution to John Sell Cotman of "Ringland Hills, Costessy, Norwich" (30). Not only is this not by Cotman, it is a downright bad painting of a kind which does harm to the reputation of an art gallery.
DOUBTFUL EXHIBITS
Nottingham can well afford to hide these and other doubtful things away, for without them it has the nucleus of a much better collection of paintings and drawings. Wilson's "Snowdon", Henry Dawson's watercolours, Sandby's "River Scene," the admirable portrait by Liotard (1702-1789) of "Mrs Eleanor Frances Dixie," John Holland's "Wilford Ferry" - with qualities akin to those of an early Manet - two Florentine primitives, some Hondecoeters, and two interiors by Horemans - these are all works which any city might be proud to possess.
I am no stickler for names, I do not care greatly whether Copley Fielding is really author of "Landscape Near the Coast" (38), or Francis Wheatley of "The Harvest Waggon" (114), but both deserve their place because they are paintings of fine quality and lively interest. With a little judicious pruning the general effect of the picture collection would be greatly improved, and the consequent raising of the standard would attract the most desirable kind of gift.
Already the effort to do this has borne fruit, and an unexpected, but eminently appropriate finishing touch was given to the opening ceremony when Mr Victor Rienacker, responding for "The Donors and Visitors," announced his intention of presenting Nottingham with the last watercolour Bonington ever painted. This was in the possession of the artist's mother, who put a note to this effect on the back of the drawing , and added, in her own handwriting, "Not to be parted with. "
<Sunday Times (Frank Rutter) 22.7.'28.>