The Cotman Collection | 78

Cotmania. Vol. IX. 1933-4

Archive: SDK Sydney Decimus Kitson Archive
Reference Number: SDK/1/2/1/9
Page: p. 34 recto


  • Description

    Letter from Paul Oppé to Sydney Kitson

    Letter from Oppé to Kitson which continues across 2 pages. Record of items auctioned at Christie's and Sotheby's.

    Date: 1933-1934

  • Transcription

    Courtauld Institute perhaps drove W.G. to his excesses about Holbein; or would have done so had I not given her an hour of the utmost entertainment all on the glory of Burlington house. We parted good friends but I [should] say that I liked the drawing.
    Lot 93 was a copy.
    Lot 105 was interesting. French Gothic cottages in late manner & colour but conceived precisely like an early drawing copy. I think that the drawing had suffered from over cleaning & was very doubtful Cotman from the first.
    Lot 106 was a drawing copy mostly very bad with some J.S.C in it.

    Christie's 23 March

    1. Oil. Very Cotmanesque I'm not sure that there aren't other versions oil or watercolour. It was slimy & weak & didn't ring true. But it was in very poor condition & I think that it is worth following up. I don't know who bought it, but I know that you get the priced lists.

    Sotheby's 12th April 36 Toledo. I missed this. It was probably behind the auctioneer; I was there when a sale was going on.

    Christie's 13.4.8 'Bending the Sale' as the Times had it. A drawing that I'm sure we've seen before. Horrid & very Milesy. Fetched over £100.

    1. Breasting the Waves . Nothing to do with Cotman. I think that this is all I have noted. What I have missed, I've missed.

Letter from Paul Oppé to Sydney Kitson