by-nc

Cottage near Kirkstall Abbey, Yorkshire

Maker

(artist)
1778-1842

Title

Cottage near Kirkstall Abbey, Yorkshire

Date of Production

1803

Medium

graphite, watercolour on laid paper

Dimensions

Height: 25.9 cm
Width: 37 cm

Accession Number

D.1967.WS.98

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

John Varley’s early watercolours, with their soft naturalistic colours and limited palette, show a strong influence of Thomas Girtin, while various townscapes showing half-timbered houses recall the work of Thomas Hearne (1744-1817). This somewhat faded view of a dilapidated cottage embodies picturesque irregularity, with its broken windows and tiles, rough stone walls and cobbled street. Areas of unworked colour and vestiges of pencil drawing suggest that it was done from first-hand observation.

Provenance

William Wycliffe Spooner, Ilkley (1882-1967); 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

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

English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/05/1977-01/06/1977 ...Less

Literature

The Spooner Collection of British Watercolours, Courtauld Institute Galleries; Huntington Library; Wordsworth Trust, 2005-06
cat. no. 59
ill. on p. 191

English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 51
pl. III

English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1977
cat. no. 49

Inscriptions

Inscription: Near Kirkstall Abbey / Yorkshire //

Inscription: J. Varley 1803

Inscription: Cottage at Shirksdale [sic]: Yorkshire / J: Varley: 1803 //

Inscription: 9 w 1

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