The Cotman Collection | 77

Cotmania. Vol. IV. 1929-30

Archive: SDK Sydney Decimus Kitson Archive
Reference Number: SDK/1/2/1/4
Page: 26 recto


  • Description

    A newspaper article on an exhibition of watercolours at the Cotswold Gallery, including JSC, Turner and others.
    Kitson's account of two visits to Christie's, where he bought Croyland Abbey (P. S. Munn) and saw JSC's Rouen in the Johnson-Ferguson Collection

    A newspaper article on an exhibition of watercolours at the Cotswold Gallery, including JSC, Turner and others.
    Kitson's account of two visits to Christie's, where he bought Croyland Abbey (P. S. Munn) and saw JSC's Rouen in the Johnson-Ferguson Collection

    Date:

  • Transcription

    {Newspaper Clipping}
    ENGLISH WATER-COLOURS
    Small, but very well selected, the eight annual exhibition of water-colours by Turner, Cotman, Dayes, Varley, and other masters of the English school at the Cotswold Gallery, 59, Frith Street, leaves the satisfying impression that everything in it is there with an intention derived from an intimate knowledge of the subject. One effect of the exhibition is to throw a pleasing light upon Edward Dayes (1763-1804). If - which is questionable- there is any truth in the story of his harsh treatment of his apprentice, Girtin, it must have been from sensitiveness rather than brutality. Certainly the lovely little drawing of "Croxden Abbey" could only have been made by a man of delicate perceptions. By the same artist there are broadly treated view of "The Thames from Richmond," and two versions of "Hawes Water, Westmorland," of which the preliminary study in blue and grey is preferable.
    Turner is shown in his earliest phase as the careful copier of Cozens, in youthful freedom on the Bristol Avon and at "Lulltington Park." poetically sentimental in "Junction of the Greta and Tees" - engraved and published as an illustration to Scott - and in full mastery of elaborate composition in "Chatel Argent, Val d'Aosta." The castle was so named because it was originally a mint; in the drawing it is golden. Turner made a good many sketches of it, and Mr. Finberg has been at great pains to fix the points from which they were taken. Finally there is "A Fishing Boat at Sea," which contains the whole of Whistler.
    There is only one Cotman, "An Old Cottage," but it is a particularly fine one in a sober way, showing to advantage the sense of masonry and its movements as determining form in which no other artist has equalled him. By David Cox there is a very dramatic "Bridge at Bettws-y-Coed," much more like a De Wint, as well as a road subject in his more familiar manner. A singularly glamorous drawing is "The Enchanted Forest," by Thomas Danby (1817-1856). It recalls both the work of the Chinese painters and that hunting scene by Paolo Uccello which is at Oxford or Cambridge. "The Old Oak," by Alexander Cozens, "Thein Church, Prague" by Samuel Prout, and "West View of Dunbarton Rock," by Joseph Farington, are other drawings to be noted in an exhibition that is interesting from beginning to end.
    ----
    The Times. 26.5.'30.

    {Kitson's Account}
    May 25th. Went to Christie's, saw the fine large 'Rouen' by J. S. C - from the J-Fergusson Collection. 1823. with the egg paste medium clearly used in the trees, but not as yet in the sky. A knife has been used extensively for the high lights.
    Went to Palser's. He has a Kit-cat portrait of an elderly painter - brush in hand - looking r towards spectator. White hair, pursy[?] cheeks, coarse. He considers this to be a self-portrait of J. S. C.! He admitted its pedigree was poor.
    May 30th. Went to Christie's. Saw the large 'Rouen' by J. S. C. Johnson-Ferguson Collection. Sold to Walker's Gallery for 360 g[uinea]s. L[or]d Moynihan was there, also Walter Runciman, who lunched w[ith] me after. The oil W[illia]m Havell of Kilgerran Castle (a beauty) made 45 g[uinea]s. Bought the P. S. Munn 'Croyland Abbey' from Victor Brockman of Bury Street & brought it home.
    Finberg told me he had heard from Alfred Powell that Cholmeley wishes to sell his 'Byland Abbey' for 1,000£!

A newspaper article on an exhibition of watercolours at the Cotswold Gallery, including JSC, Turner and others.
Kitson's account of two visits to Christie's, where he bought  Croyland Abbey (P. S. Munn) and saw JSC's Rouen in the Johnson-Ferguson Collection