Francis Towne (1739-1816) was one of the most distinguished draughtsmen and watercolourists of his time, although his idiosyncratic style, characterised by luminous washes in a restricted palette of blues, greens and browns bounded by emphatic, precise pen outlines, was little appreciated during his lifetime and only gained widespread recognition in the early twentieth century, by which time the simplicity and austerity of his work appeared surprisingly modern.


Although Towne strove for recognition in the London art world and was one of the first British artists to undertake a tour of Italy, he spent the majority of his career working as a drawing master in and around his native Exeter. Most of Towne’s customers were based there, and the city’s environs were one of his favoured sketching grounds. However, Towne also made several visits to Cornwall, and notably to Werrington Park near Launceston, some forty miles west of the city, over a period of more than thirty years (in the eighteenth century Werrington was at the western edge of Devon, but is now in Cornwall). Indeed, Towne’s earliest-recorded West Country work was the view of a mill at Werrington, Devonshire, which he contributed to the 1767 Society of Artists exhibition. Towne is only known to have visited Cornwall twice following his return from Italy: the first visit was in 1796, from which time the present watercolour dates. It is relatively unusual within his oeuvre as a work in pure watercolour, largely devoid of the precise pen outlines that characterise much of his work.

Towne made several visits to Cornwall, and notably to Werrington Park near Launceston, some forty miles west of the city, over a period of more than thirty years (in the eighteenth century Werrington was at the western edge of Devon, but is now in Cornwall). Indeed, Towne’s earliest-recorded West Country work was the view of a mill at Werrington, Devonshire, which he contributed to the 1767 Society of Artists exhibition. Towne is only known to have visited Cornwall twice following his return from Italy: the first visit was in 1796, from which time the present watercolour dates. This sheet is relatively unusual within his oeuvre as a work in pure watercolour, largely devoid of the precise pen outlines that characterise much of his work.

anonymous sale, Christie's (London), 21 March 1989, lot 137; purchased there by Heather Newman Gallery (Painswick, Gloucestershire) (£1, 870), which became Newman Fine Art in 2004; purchased there by the Spooner Charitable Trust, 2019; gift of the Spooner Charitable Trust to the Samuel Courtauld Trust, 2019 The 1805 exhibition catalogue at The Gallery, London, does not list the drawing's current owner. The 1989 Christie's catalogue does not list the seller.

Exhibition of original drawings at the Gallery ... by F. Towne, The Gallery, Brook Street, London, 1805

Stephens, Richard, A Catalogue Raisonné of The Works of Francis Towne, Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, http://francistowne.ac.uk/collection/home
no. FT588
ill.
as whereabouts unknown - R. Hapoienu e-mailed them to let them know we have it

Watermark: Watermark: lower centre edge: upper half of a “PRO PATRIA”.

Inscription: Recto: lower left edge, brown ink, signed and dated: “F. Towne. Delt. 1796”. Artist’s Mount (removed, now missing, recorded in catalogue raisonné - see copy in file), Verso: “A Scene in Werington Park / near Launceston in the County / of Cornwall / taken / by Francis Towne / Mounted 1796 in Exeter” [the last line is also inscribed on the Artist’s Mount bearing D.1952.RW.1758]. Backboard (removed, recorded in a photograph in file), Verso: upper centre: a taped photocopy (?) of the above inscription on the Artist’s Mount.

Collector's mark: none.

Label: Backboard (removed, recorded in photograph in file): field printed in purple, filled in with black typewriter: "Heather Newman / Fine Quality / Early British Watercolours / Milidduwa / Mill Lane, Cranham, Painswick / Gloucestershire GL6 6TX / Artist FRANCIS TOWNE 1740-1816 / Title "A scene in Werrington Park near / Launceston in the County of / Cornwall taken by Francis Towne, / Mounted 1796 in Exeter" / Signed, dated 1796; inscribed G".