Archive: SDK Sydney Decimus Kitson Archive
Reference Number: SDK/1/2/1/6
Page:
Description
Letter from Martin Hardie of the Victoria and Albert Museum to SD Kitson, 22 December 1930
Date:
Transcription
Victoria & Albert Museum
South Kensington, S. W. 7.
Dept of Paintings. Dept of Engraving, Illustration & Design.
22nd December 1930.
My dear Kitson,
I have not really had time till to-day to consider the interesting point which you raised with regard to our "Windmill, Lincolnshire". The drawing was acquired by us between January and May 1867 and was then attributed to Cotman. This, of course, does not prove anything definitely, but it does show that the Cotman attribution is sixty years old. Long has been looking up Christie's catalogues and finds that two drawings catalogued as by Cotman were sold at Christie's in 1867: "A Draining Windmill, Lincolnshire", from the collection of J. Cardwell of Brighton, was sold on January 1st, 1867 for £3.7.6; "An Old WIndmill", from the collection of the late W. Roberts of Harborne Hall, near Birmingham, was sold on May 21st, 1867, for £10.10.0. I think, both with regards to dates and the fact that 'Lincolnshire' appears in the title, that ours is very possibly the first of these two drawings. The whole drawing looks to me to be
S. D. Kitson, Esq.,
Thornbury House, Kidlington, OXFORD.