The Cotman Collection | 67

Cotmania. Vol. IV. 1929-30

Archive: SDK Sydney Decimus Kitson Archive
Reference Number: SDK/1/2/1/4
Page: 22 verso


  • Description

    Account of Kitson's visits to Fred Meatyard's (where he bought Caernarvon Castle), British Museum, and meeting with Robert Hawthorn Kitson

    Account of Kitson's visits to Fred Meatyard's (where he bought Caernarvon Castle), the British Museum, and meeting with Robert Hawthorn Kitson

    Date:

  • Transcription

    April 1st, 1930. Went to Meatyard's, who told me that lot 1 at Christie's on March 28 'Caernarvon Castle' went to a dealer (without a shop) in Ryder Street called Macdonald(?).
    He telephoned him & secured the drawing, which had gone to Wallesy, for me. Saw three more vols. of the Dawson Turner Coll. at the B.M.
    April 2. Went to the B.M and saw a case of Cotmans of larger size I had never seen before. Durham, Croyland, St Mary Redcliffe, Mousehold Heath, & several chalk (1841) drawings. & some pencil outline drawings called 'tracings' - one of which was the Castle of Alençon -(my sepia)
    April 8. Went with N. D. L. to W. T. Spencers, New Oxford Street. He has sorted out his drawings, & it is now much easier to see them. N. D. L. bought 11 J. R. Cozens & a Sunderland for 15£! I bought 4 rather interesting drawings.
    April 28. Lunched at Taormina with R. H. K. His 'Castle Chapel, Caen' looked well, framed.
    Two good pencil drawings from his 50, in his portfolio, and a watercolour of a man reclining in front of a river - bought from Palser years ago - not very good.

    {Catalogue clipping}
    J. S. Cotman
    (1782 - 1842)

    1. On the Yare
      From the collection of William Clabburn of Thorpe.
      From the collection on Miss Woolner, daughter of Thomas Woolner, R.A.

    {Kitson's writing}
    From the catalogue of an Exhibition of 18th and 19th Century English paintings at the Independent Gallery. May, 8-27.
    It was at the Leicester Gallery - see my note in Cotmania Vol. III. also my pencil sketch of it. (306.VI.6) also M.E.C.'s letter to his brother in 1884.

Account of Kitson's visits to Fred Meatyard's (where he bought Caernarvon Castle), British Museum, and meeting with Robert Hawthorn Kitson