Old Windsor Green (recto)
Maker
(artist)
1725-1809
1725-1809
Title
Old Windsor Green (recto)
Date of Production
1762
Medium
graphite, pen and grey ink, watercolour on two sheets of laid paper joined together; now laid down on Japanese tissue; according to Spooner 2005 exh. cat., there is a verso sketch in graphite of a tree at the left edge, but this is not currently visible through the backing and handling edges
Dimensions
Height: 35.1 cm
Width: 79.4 cm
Width: 79.4 cm
Accession Number
D.1967.WS.86
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
Described by Gainsborough as ‘the only man of genius who has painted real views from nature in this country’, Sandby introduced radical innovations in British landscape practice, made possible by his early experience as a military topographer. For this view of an inn at Windsor, Sandby chose a panoramic viewpoint centred on the protruding trees and expanding across two joined sheets. This work, left unfinished, shows his watercolour technique: he applied thin coloured washes over a careful pencil underdrawing and layers of grey wash to indicate light and shadow.
Provenance
possibly Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1840-1915) [former label on backing]; as yet unidentified dealer at 64 St James's St [former label on backing]; Mrs J.B. Young [? according to Spooner 2005 exhibition catalogue]; Knoedler & Co. (New York) [according to Courtauld 1986 catalogue, though with a question mark]; Christie's (London), 16 March 1956, lot 76; purchased there by Colnaghi (London); purchased there by William Wycliffe Spooner, Ilkley (1882-1967), 23 March 1956 (£313); Spooner Bequest 1967; stolen circa 1987 but recovered shortly afterwards by an auction house in Kent
Exhibition History
A Dialogue with Nature: Romantic Landscapes from Britain and Germany, The Morgan Library, New York, 30/05/2014-07/09/2014
A Dialogue with Nature: Romantic Landscapes from Britain and Germany, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/01/2014-27/04/2014
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
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
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
A Dialogue with Nature: Romantic Landscapes from Britain and Germany, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/01/2014-27/04/2014
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
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
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
The Spooner Collection of British Watercolours, Courtauld Institute Galleries; Huntington Library; Wordsworth Trust, 2005-06
cat. no. 7
ill. on p. 87
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 103
ill. on p. 231
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1968
cat. no. 16 ...More
Troutman, Philip, 'The Evocation of Atmosphere in the English Water-colour' in Apollo, July 1968
p. 52
pl. 3
Early English watercolours, City Art Gallery, Leeds, 1958
cat. no. 85 ...Less
cat. no. 7
ill. on p. 87
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 103
ill. on p. 231
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1968
cat. no. 16 ...More
Troutman, Philip, 'The Evocation of Atmosphere in the English Water-colour' in Apollo, July 1968
p. 52
pl. 3
Early English watercolours, City Art Gallery, Leeds, 1958
cat. no. 85 ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: Recto, upper left: a cross above “IHS / IVILLEDARY” (matches Heawood 2971, though our chain lines are 1 mm wider – London 1766?).
Inscription: Recto: upper centre edge, graphite: “212”; left centre on sign (within drawing), grey ink: "Good Entertainment / For man and horse"; lower left edge, graphite, artist's hand?: “Old Windsor Green”; lower right edge, brown ink, signed and dated: “At Old Windsor, P.S. 1762.”. Verso (now obscured by Japanese tissue): upper left, graphite? circled: “53”; lower left, graphite, the number circled: “7 EH”; lower left, graphite, the first two dimensions crossed through: “28 ¾ / 30 ½ x 13 ½ / 129”; lower right edge, graphite, Colnaghi number: “A20426 HSA”.
Collector's mark: none.
Label: Formerly on backing, now removed and missing, recorded in file: Colnaghi "II At Old Windsor"; Royal Arms & address 64 St James's St; NM Rothschild New Court.
Inscription: Recto: upper centre edge, graphite: “212”; left centre on sign (within drawing), grey ink: "Good Entertainment / For man and horse"; lower left edge, graphite, artist's hand?: “Old Windsor Green”; lower right edge, brown ink, signed and dated: “At Old Windsor, P.S. 1762.”. Verso (now obscured by Japanese tissue): upper left, graphite? circled: “53”; lower left, graphite, the number circled: “7 EH”; lower left, graphite, the first two dimensions crossed through: “28 ¾ / 30 ½ x 13 ½ / 129”; lower right edge, graphite, Colnaghi number: “A20426 HSA”.
Collector's mark: none.
Label: Formerly on backing, now removed and missing, recorded in file: Colnaghi "II At Old Windsor"; Royal Arms & address 64 St James's St; NM Rothschild New Court.
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.
____________________________