Open IIIF manifest What is IIIF IIIF viewers

Portrait of Miss Charlotte Monro

Maker

(artist)
1750-1824

Title

Date of Production

1783

Medium

black and red chalk, the black chalk washed in areas, blue watercolour and bodycolour (recto), touches of red chalk (verso, now hidden under support), on wove paper, cut into an oval and laid down on a paper support

Dimensions

Height: 22.3 cm
Width: 19 cm

Accession Number

D.1967.WS.40

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

Label Text

Downman’s reputation rests on small chalk portraits such as this one of Charlotte Monro, sister of Dr Thomas Monro, whose informal ‘academy’ was attended by the young Thomas Girtin and Turner. The technique made a rapid likeness possible, enabling Downman to keep up with the demand and charge lower prices than oils would cost. The elegant plumed headdress is evidence of the interest he consistently took in costume.

Notes

A photo in the file shows the drawing in a frame (now lost), with features (such as white highlights) that were lost in treatment. The artist had a method of putting chalk on the verso of the drawing in the areas of the cheeks and/or lips, and that was employed here as well.

Provenance

probably given by the artist to the father of the sitter, John Monro (1715-1791); by descent to Clara Eleanor Coode, London (c. 1856-1932), by 1904 (her inscription on a former label); anonymous sale (listed under 'Various Properties'), Sotheby's (London), 27 January 1960, lot 14; purchased there by Colnaghi (London) (£46); purchased there by William Wycliffe Spooner, Ilkley (1882-1967), 1 March 1960 (£95); Spooner Bequest 1967

Exhibition History

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

Literature

The Spooner Collection of British Watercolours, Courtauld Institute Galleries; Huntington Library; Wordsworth Trust, 2005-06
cat. no. 25
ill. on p. 123

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Inscription: Recto, lower left, graphite, signed and dated, 1st 2 letters monogram: “JDownman / Pt 1783”.

Label: On former frame, removed, now in object file, brown ink, hand of Clara Coode: "This is a portrait of / Miss Charlotte Monro daughter of D. John Monr... / the 2d of his profession She / died at 21 This picture was / painted by Downman. / Signed / Clara Eleanor Coode / Sep. 1904.".

Collector's mark: none.

Label: On former frame, removed, no longer extant but recorded in file, graphite, Colnaghi number: "D [altered from 'A'] 24117 RE".

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