The Cotman Collection | 61

Cotmania. Vol. VII. 1931-2

Archive: SDK Sydney Decimus Kitson Archive
Reference Number: SDK/1/2/1/7
Page: 18 recto


  • Description

    Kitson's diary entries for 30 June-13 July 1932

    Works by John Jospeh Cotman and Miles Edmund Cotman at Walker's exhibition; an evening with [Leonard] Duke interrupted by Thomson; a visit to Squire’s Gallery; dinner with Oppé and sketches by John Varley.

    Date: 1932

  • Transcription

    There were no Cotmans in the show, but A. W showed me ‘J.S.C’s last watercolour’ – a perfectly horrible thing, badly drawn, with no Cotman in it. He said it must be right because it came from the Woolner Coll[ectio]n! There were 2 J.J.C’s, the cheaper the better, & several rather poor M.E.C’s from the Bulwer Coll[ectio]n.
    [Catalogue extract begins]
    J. J. COTMAN, 1814-1878
    \16. On the Yare—1874
    23¼ x 16½ in. [note by Kitson:] 40 g[uinea]s
    \17. Near Norwich
    28¾ x 13¼ in. [note by Kitson:] 35 g[uinea]s *

    M. E. COTMAN, 1810-1858
    \18. The White House, Whitlingham, Norfolk (sepia)
    (from the Bulwer collection)
    9⅞ x 5¼ in.
    \19. Billingford Church, Norfolk, from the North-East
    (from the Bulwer collection)
    11¼ x 7¼ in.
    \20. Binham Priory from the South (sepia)
    (from the Bulwer collection)
    9½ x 5⅜ in.
    \21. Entrance to the Choir, Norwich Cathedral
    (from the Bulwer collection)
    6⅞ x 10 in.
    \22. South Porch, North Burlingham Church, Norfolk—1838
    (from the Bulwer collection)
    6¾ x 9⅝ in.
    \23. Canopied Stone Seats and Piscina, Great Snoring Church, Norfolk
    (from the Bulwer collection)
    8 x 5¾ in.
    [Catalogue extract ends]
    July 11th 1932. Duke dined with me, & we went on to his house. Unfortunately Thomson called in, which rather put an end to inspection.
    July 12. Went to Squire’s Gallery. He showed me 2 ‘Cotman’ monochromes – a pair – one very like a Cotman, the others by another hand, perhaps Powell or Webster. They seemed to illustrate the same subject & to be the same size as Gaskell’s fine Cotman Sketching Society monochrome, of Nov: 4 1803.
    July 13. Dined with Oppé. Saw some very good pencil scrap sketches of figures by John Varley.

Kitson's diary entries for 30 June-13 July 1932