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Design for Samuel Courtauld's Bookplate

Maker


1889-1946

Title

Design for Samuel Courtauld's Bookplate

Date of Production

c.1930

Medium

pen and ink on paper laid on board

Dimensions

Height: 13.5 cm

Accession Number

D.2024.XX.3

Mode of Acquisition

purchase, 2024

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust).

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Label Text

The use of frames in Nash’s work draws attention to the surreal nature of his landscapes. Enlarged to a monumental scale, the frame in this bookplate design alludes to Samuel Courtauld’s avid collecting practices and support for the visual arts. Within the enclosed, isolated scene a Martello tower commands the landscape. Martello towers were built on the east and south coasts of England to defend against the threat of invasion and are still a fairly common sight in the Courtauld family’s native Essex. A French flag sits on the tower, pointing towards Samuel Courtauld’s affinity for French art and the family’s Huguenot heritage. On the right, textile machinery references the industry through which the Courtaulds amassed their fortune.

Provenance

Estate of Stanley Jones MBE; purchased by the Samuel Courtuald Trust, 2024

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