Cotmania. Vol. VI. 1930-31

ENGLISH WATER-COLOURS
The appropriately named "Collectors'" ex­hibition of early English water-colour draw­ings at the Squire Gallery, 1a, Baker-street, is none the worse for being predominantly topographical rather than romantic, and for representing the rank and file rather than the leaders of the school. Thus it brings home two
things: that the English water-colour is—or
was—a definite thing for which there was a
regular demand; and that such masters as
Turner, Girtin, and Cotman did not spring
suddenly out of the plain, but were rather
"peaks" in a wide range of good average
production.

Not only are many of the names in this
exhibition comparatively unfamiliar, but
several that, are well known in one connexion
are represented by something in a different
one. Thua, one might know very well the
London views of Thomas Shotter Boys and
still fail to recognize as his "Edgar's Tower,
Worcester," while the very firm "St. Brelade's
Bay, Jersey" by him has nothing whatever
to suggest him to a person who went by usual
subject alone. In time the exhibition ranges
from William Marlow, who was born in 1740
and is represented by a grey drawing of a
"Woody Landscape," faintly suggestive of
Gainsborough in his early Dutch manner, to
E. M. Wimperis. who died only in 1900. Some
of the more conventional artists gain greatly
by the small scale on which they are seen.
"Landscape with Lake and Castle." by John
Varley, and " A View in North Wales." by
George Barret, jun., are very pleasing in­-
stances of this. Other drawings of specially
attractive quality are "Tree Composition," by
Benjamin Barker, "Landscape with Cattle."
by Samuel Austin. "Waterloo Bridge. Somerset House and St. Paul's," by James Holland,
and "The Tuileries," by David Cox, jun. One
interest of the exhibition is in tracing topographical features which have or have not survived. The organizers are to be thanked for dating the artists in the catalogue.

The Times
April 27, 1931.