In the Canton of Unterwalden
Maker
(Artists)
1752-1797
1752-1797
Title
In the Canton of Unterwalden
Date of Production
(circa) 1780
Medium
graphite, pen and brown ink, brown and grey wash with blue watercolour and some scratching out and rubbing, on laid paper
Dimensions
Height: 34.1 cm
Width: 50.9 cm
Width: 50.9 cm
Accession Number
D.1967.WS.32
Mode of Acquisition
William Wycliffe Spooner, bequest, 1967
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Label Text
Taught by his father Alexander, John Robert Cozens made two journeys through Switzerland en route to Italy. As with most of his compositions, this majestic mountain view is idealised, with no attempt at truth to nature. Cozens evokes an emotional response partly through the imposing grandeur of the scene, but more significantly though subtle tonal contrasts and a purposely muted palette. The thin wisp of smoke and the tiny figures add a human note.
Notes
There are three other versions of this scene, which dates from his first trip to Switzerland in 1776-78; one, almost identical, in Leeds City Art Gallery, the others in Dublin (National Gallery of Ireland) and Bedford (Cecil Higgins Art Gallery). The inscription "to be copied" on the verso suggests it may have been a popular view Cozens copied for patrons, and the number "3" may indicate this was the third copy.
Provenance
J.H. Reveley; anonymous sale, Sotheby's (London), 16 February 1949, lot 96; purchased there by the Fine Art Society (London) (£720); purchased there by William Wycliffe Spooner, Ilkley (1882-1967), 1951; Spooner Bequest 1967
Exhibition History
La peinture romantique anglaise et les Préraphaélites, Musée du Petit Palais, Paris, 1972 (Jan.-Apr.)
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum and Art Gallery, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005
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 ...More
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
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/1979-01/09/1979
European Landscape Painting, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 14/09/1978-26/10/1978
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/05/1977-01/06/1977
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
Watercolours by John Robert Cozens, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 06/03/1971-12/04/1971; Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 22/04/1971-16/05/1971
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/04/1968-01/07/1968
Early English watercolours, City Art Gallery, Leeds, 08/10/1958-23/11/1958 ...Less
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum and Art Gallery, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005
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 ...More
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
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/1979-01/09/1979
European Landscape Painting, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 14/09/1978-26/10/1978
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/05/1977-01/06/1977
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
Watercolours by John Robert Cozens, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 06/03/1971-12/04/1971; Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 22/04/1971-16/05/1971
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/04/1968-01/07/1968
Early English watercolours, City Art Gallery, Leeds, 08/10/1958-23/11/1958 ...Less
Literature
Early English watercolours, City Art Gallery, Leeds, 1958
cat. no. 26
pl. 8
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1968
cat. no. 8
pl. III
Watercolours by John Robert Cozens, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester and V&A, London, 1971, 1971
cat. no. 9
ill. ...More
La peinture romantique anglaise et les Préraphaélites, Musée du Petit Palais, Paris, January - April 1972, 1972
cat. no. 84
ill.
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 1973
cat. no. 16
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
cat. no. 3
pl. I
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1977
cat. no. 7
European Landscape Painting, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 1978
cat. no. 44
ill.
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 24
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
no. 84, p. 72
ill. on p. 89
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 85
ill. on p. 195
The Spooner Collection of British Watercolours, Courtauld Institute Galleries; Huntington Library; Wordsworth Trust, 2005-06
cat. no. 27
ill. on p. 127 ...Less
cat. no. 26
pl. 8
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1968
cat. no. 8
pl. III
Watercolours by John Robert Cozens, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester and V&A, London, 1971, 1971
cat. no. 9
ill. ...More
La peinture romantique anglaise et les Préraphaélites, Musée du Petit Palais, Paris, January - April 1972, 1972
cat. no. 84
ill.
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 1973
cat. no. 16
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
cat. no. 3
pl. I
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1977
cat. no. 7
European Landscape Painting, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 1978
cat. no. 44
ill.
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 24
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
no. 84, p. 72
ill. on p. 89
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 85
ill. on p. 195
The Spooner Collection of British Watercolours, Courtauld Institute Galleries; Huntington Library; Wordsworth Trust, 2005-06
cat. no. 27
ill. on p. 127 ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: centre: "J WHATMAN".
Inscription: Verso: upper left corner, graphite: “3”; left centre, graphite: “3 g”; centre, graphite: “To be copied”.
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Verso: upper left corner, graphite: “3”; left centre, graphite: “3 g”; centre, graphite: “To be copied”.
Collector's mark: none.
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.
____________________________
