Open IIIF manifest What is IIIF IIIF viewers

Imaginary landscape, with mountains running down to a lake

Maker

(artist)
1724-1804

Title

Date of Production

(after) 1752

Medium

graphite, pen and brown ink, brown and grey wash on laid paper

Dimensions

Height: 26.9 cm
Width: 36.1 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.4380

Mode of Acquisition

Robert Clermont Witt, bequest, 1952

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords

Notes

Gilpin was headmaster of Cheam boys’ school from 1752, and in 1777 became the vicar of Boldre in Hampshire. The verso inscription dates this to after 1752, when Gilpin took over the school. Gilpin’s landscapes consider the irregularity of scenery as picturesque, using features of natural environments to create a composition of overall harmony. He travelled widely in rural Britain to seek such locations, and wrote travel journals to record his experiences.

Provenance

the artist, William Gilpin (1724-1804), L.2622a (lower left); Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b (verso, lower left); Witt Bequest 1952 The artist had 2 sales, 6 May 1802 [catalogue not yet checked] and 6 June 1804 [lots in catalogue are not described so impossible to identify individual drawings].

Exhibition History

Glasgow University, 1953 (February-March)

The Reverend William Gilpin and the picturesque: an exhibition of the works of the Reverend William Gilpin, 1724-1804, and other members of the Gilpin family, Kenwood House, London, 1959 (Jun.-Sept.)

English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/1979-01/09/1979 ...More

Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976-78

English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/01/1965-01/05/1965

L'Aquarelle Romantique en France et en Angleterre, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Calais, 29/07/1961-17/09/1961 ...Less

Literature

English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 15

Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976 - 1978
cat. no. 20

English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1965
cat. no. 23 ...More

L'Aquarelle Romantique en France et en Angleterre, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Calais, 1961
cat. no. 65

Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 23 ...Less

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Inscription: Verso: upper left corner, graphite, circled: "20"; upper left, brown ink: "a blot by Gilpin / Master of Cheam School"; centre, graphite, written large, underlined twice: "W Gilpin"; lower left corner (on remnant of former backing sheet, now otherwise removed), graphite: "D.73".

Collector's mark: Recto: lower left, blindstamped: William Gilpin (L.2622a). Verso: lower left, stamped in black: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).

Information on this object may be incomplete and will be updated as research progresses. We are particularly committed to addressing any discriminatory or offensive language and ideas that might be present in our records. To help improve this record, and to enquire about images of The Courtauld Gallery Collection, please email gallery.collectionsonline@courtauld.ac.uk. Find out more about using and licensing our images.

____________________________

Buy a print from our collection