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Doorway to the refectory, Kirkham Priory, Yorkshire
Maker
(artist)
1782-1842
1782-1842
Title
Doorway to the refectory, Kirkham Priory, Yorkshire
Date of Production
1804
Medium
graphite and watercolour on wove paper
Dimensions
Height: 37.8 cm
Width: 26.7 cm
Width: 26.7 cm
Accession Number
D.1967.WS.24
Mode of Acquisition
William Wycliffe Spooner, bequest, 1967
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Copyright
Work in the public domain
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
refectories
Label Text
John Sell Cotman made this watercolour at Kirkham Priory during the second of three summers he spent in Yorkshire. A sunlit patch of masonry and a luminous sky pierce the golden haze enveloping the medieval ruins. The Norman arch is observed from an oblique angle to exaggerate its monumentality; a shadow cast on the doorway hints at a greater structure looming nearby. Devoid of human presence, this evocative portrait of a ruin becomes a study of light and shadow on stone.
Notes
Cotman also made an etching of this for his 'Miscellaneous Etchings' 1811. Cotman first visited Kirkham Abbey with Paul Sandby Munn in July 1803, and made 'some exquisite drawings of it' according to their hostess, Mrs Cholmeley of Brandsby Hall. She and Cotman spent the day there on 30 August. Cotman made a second tour of Yorkshire in 1804, and a final one in July 1805. This watercolour was presumably based on a drawing made on his first visit.
Provenance
Turrey Abbey (?); H.C. Green; his sale, Sotheby's (London), 10 October 1962, lot 66; purchased there by Colnaghi (London), for £750; purchased there by William Wycliffe Spooner, Ilkley (1882-1967), n.d.; Spooner Bequest 1967
Exhibition History
Drawings Gallery Display - Pen to Brush: British Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 18/11/2021-28/02/2022
Special Display - Building and Destruction - Architectural Imagery from the Courtauld's Drawings Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/10/2009-17/01/2010
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum and Art Gallery, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005 ...More
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum of Art, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005; Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere, 18/07/2005-23/10/2005; Hermitage Rooms, Somerset House, London, 16/11/2005-12/02/2006
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
John Sell Cotman 1782-1842. A touring exhibition arranged by the Arts Council of Great Britain, V&A, London; Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, City of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, 1982-83
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/1979-01/09/1979
Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976-78
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 11/05/1973-02/06/1973
English Landscape Drawings [catalogue not found], Rye Art Gallery, England, 1971
A loan exhibition of drawings and watercolours by East Anglian artists of the 18th and 19th centuries, Colnaghi, London, 08/09/1970-02/10/1970
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/04/1968-01/07/1968 ...Less
Special Display - Building and Destruction - Architectural Imagery from the Courtauld's Drawings Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/10/2009-17/01/2010
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum and Art Gallery, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005 ...More
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum of Art, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005; Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere, 18/07/2005-23/10/2005; Hermitage Rooms, Somerset House, London, 16/11/2005-12/02/2006
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
John Sell Cotman 1782-1842. A touring exhibition arranged by the Arts Council of Great Britain, V&A, London; Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, City of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, 1982-83
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/1979-01/09/1979
Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976-78
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 11/05/1973-02/06/1973
English Landscape Drawings [catalogue not found], Rye Art Gallery, England, 1971
A loan exhibition of drawings and watercolours by East Anglian artists of the 18th and 19th centuries, Colnaghi, London, 08/09/1970-02/10/1970
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/04/1968-01/07/1968 ...Less
Literature
The Spooner Collection of British Watercolours, Courtauld Institute Galleries; Huntington Library; Wordsworth Trust, 2005-06
cat. no. 61
ill. on p. 195
Saved: 100 years of the National Art Collections Fund, Hayward Gallery, London, 2003
p. 158
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 28
pp. 64, 178
ill. on p. 65 ...More
Farr, Dennis, 100 Masterpieces from the Courtauld Collections, London: Courtauld Institute Galleries, 1987
p. 192
ill. on p. 193
The Northern Landscape. Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Drawing Center, New York; Courtauld Institute Galleries, 1986
no. 77
ill. on p. 179
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 77
ill. on p. 179
John Sell Cotman 1782-1842. A touring exhibition arranged by the Arts Council of Great Britain, V&A, London; Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, City of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, 1982
cat. no. 27
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 53
Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976 - 1978
cat. no. 45
ill.
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
cat. no. 45
pl. V
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 1973
cat. no. 10
Troutman, Philip, 'The Evocation of Atmosphere in the English Water-colour' in Apollo, July 1968
p. 56
fig. 10 on p. 56
see PDF
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1968
cat. no. 54
Popham, A.E., 'The etchings of J.S. Cotman' in 'The Print Collectors' Quarterly', October 1922
no. 11 (etching after the drawing) ...Less
cat. no. 61
ill. on p. 195
Saved: 100 years of the National Art Collections Fund, Hayward Gallery, London, 2003
p. 158
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 28
pp. 64, 178
ill. on p. 65 ...More
Farr, Dennis, 100 Masterpieces from the Courtauld Collections, London: Courtauld Institute Galleries, 1987
p. 192
ill. on p. 193
The Northern Landscape. Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Drawing Center, New York; Courtauld Institute Galleries, 1986
no. 77
ill. on p. 179
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 77
ill. on p. 179
John Sell Cotman 1782-1842. A touring exhibition arranged by the Arts Council of Great Britain, V&A, London; Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, City of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, 1982
cat. no. 27
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 53
Exhibition of Drawings and Watercolours from the Spooner and Witt Collections, Australia, New Zealand, 1976 - 1978
cat. no. 45
ill.
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
cat. no. 45
pl. V
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 1973
cat. no. 10
Troutman, Philip, 'The Evocation of Atmosphere in the English Water-colour' in Apollo, July 1968
p. 56
fig. 10 on p. 56
see PDF
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1968
cat. no. 54
Popham, A.E., 'The etchings of J.S. Cotman' in 'The Print Collectors' Quarterly', October 1922
no. 11 (etching after the drawing) ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: none.
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Recto: lower right corner, brown wash, signed and dated: "J. S. Cotman / 1804". Verso: upper left corner, graphite: "3"; upper left corner, graphite, erased: "8.12.6"; upper left, graphite, circled: "7036"; upper left, graphite: "Cotman"; left centre, graphite, an L-shaped diagram with caption: "G.L. / 2 1/2 mount / heavy splay / Whatman"; centre, graphite, artist's hand: "Kirkham Abbey / Yorkshire"; lower right, graphite: "H.G. Green. / Colnaghi / 23 x 18 / on Jcox. / sold to dwg. / sepia lines / JCox [illegible mark]".
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Recto: lower right corner, brown wash, signed and dated: "J. S. Cotman / 1804". Verso: upper left corner, graphite: "3"; upper left corner, graphite, erased: "8.12.6"; upper left, graphite, circled: "7036"; upper left, graphite: "Cotman"; left centre, graphite, an L-shaped diagram with caption: "G.L. / 2 1/2 mount / heavy splay / Whatman"; centre, graphite, artist's hand: "Kirkham Abbey / Yorkshire"; lower right, graphite: "H.G. Green. / Colnaghi / 23 x 18 / on Jcox. / sold to dwg. / sepia lines / JCox [illegible mark]".
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