Cotmania. Vol. VI. 1930-31

Nov: 20. 1930, Went with Elizabeth to see Dr. Geoffrey Bourne,
25 Harley St. who wrote he had a Cotman oil. Dr. B told us
P.M.Turner had seen it & had been so interested that he
had borrowed it. We therefore went to the Independent
Gallery. It is a small coast scene (a ch:? crown)
on the hill, a long receeding line of coast, a dark
green sea, some boats on it, figures on the shore &
some cottages (red roofed) on the beach. It is signed
bottom r. 'JOHN SELL COTMAN'. It is painstaking,
topographical, representational, & bears no resemblance
to any known Cotman. It is 'petite' & tight.
Dr. Bourne told me that Manson of the Tate considered
it to be genuine, & that Johnwood Kay had also seen
it, but he did not agree with Manson.
The painting is very mellow & the trees have harmonized
delightfully into a very pleasant picture. It might be
an early work of Ladbrook or Stannard. It seems
to belong to the Norwich School.
Dr. Bourne told me he saw it on the pavement outside a
junk shop near Leicester Square, & bought it for 22/6.