Cotmania. Vol. VIII. 1932-3

Nov. 5, 1932. Lunched with Sir M. Sadler & went with him to Mr P. M. Turner's house (built by G. Kennedy) at Gerrard's Cross. The dining room is full of modern French paintings, Bonnard, etc. rather difficult to see, & Indian, Congo & Peruvian bronzes, very good. In the dining room is the Cotman 'River in Normandy', looking very beautiful & well planned. Some good Cromes, incl[uding] an early Yar[mouth] Jetty (from Daniel Gurney's coll[ection] 'A tree', a very early & crude 'Cromer beach', an upright brown landscape in the manner of Wilson & Ruysdael. A study for Turner's diploma pictures, 'Kilgerran'. Some Constables. In the lounge, a problematic Cotman oil, a cottage (in the manner of Crome?) The Bonington portrait: the early Gainsborough man's portrait with straddling legs, wh[ich] was at Horwich (this is in dining room). The stair & bedrooms are full of drawings - many Segonzacs, 2 or 3 Cotmans, including the 'Ranga Castle' w.c. very full deep tones, 'done under the influence of Titian' (P. M. T.) c 1807, a noble thing. A charming pencil slight landscape, c 1824. Some lovely monochrome Cromes, fluffy, delicious. Many Gainsborough pencils. Altogether a bewildering show.