Joseph Mallord William Turner R.A. and Thomas Girtin

with Spink, London

This watercolour is in very good condition. There may have been a very small amount of fading to some of the pigments. There is a subtle brown line, located at the left hand edge of the sheet. This is associated with previous mounting. The sheet has not been laid down.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present watercolour was executed by both Thomas Girtin and J.M.W. Turner at Dr. Thomas Monro's 'Academy' in London. It is a copy after a watercolour of the same title by J.R. Cozens (1752-1797) (see C. F. Bell, 'Catalogue of Drawings and Sketches of John Robert Cozens', The Walpole Society, vol. XXIII, 1935, no. 91).

During the 1790s Dr. Monro opened his house to contemporary artists and encouraged them to copy from his large 18^th Century drawing collection. In his diary of November 1798, the artist Joseph Farington (1747–1821) explained that 'they [Turner and Girtin] had been employed by Dr. Thomas Monro [for] three years to draw at his house in the evenings'. He expanded on this stating that often 'Girtin drew in the outlines and Turner washed in the effects' (see Andrew Wilton, 'The 'Monro School' Question: Some Answers', Turner Studies, 1984, vol. 4., no. 2, p. 9).