Joseph Mallord William Turner R.A.

John Dixon (1753-1825) of Gledhow Hall, Yorkshire and Weeting Hall, Suffolk;
The Hon. Emily Kitson, her sale Sotheby's, London, 20 March 1963, lot 86;
with Agnew's, London, from whom purchased by the father of the present owner

ENGRAVED:

by George Cooke for Whitaker's Loidis and Elmete, 1816-20 (R. 87)  

York, York City Art Gallery, Turner in Yorkshire, 1980, cat. no. 113 (illustrated p. 76)

Sir W. Armstrong, Turner, 1902, p. 255;
W. G. Rawlinson, The Engraved Work of J.M.W. Turner R. A., 1908, vol. 1, p. 43, no. 87;
A. Wilton, The Life and Work of J.M.W. Turner, 1979, p. 543, no. 543;
E. Shanes, Turner's England 1810-38, 1990, p. 77, no. 53

Support This lovely watercolour, on a sheet of laid "Whatman" type paper, is in a good condition. The paper is sound and has no major damages. There is a small surface scratch towards the upper right-hand corner. Medium The watercolour medium is fresh and bright though there maybe some slight fading of the indigo wash in the sky, which may have made the clouds a little bluer in tone. The yellow in the centre appears to be sienna pigment and the Prussian blue in the water and the sky is also strong. There are a few small pigment losses in the trees on the right-hand side. The illustration in the catalogue is much more orange in tone than the original.
"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."

This idyllic watercolour depicts Gledhow Hall, near Leeds in Yorkshire, the seat of the Dixon family. This watercolour was commissioned by John Dixon in 1816. He was the eldest son of Jeremiah Dixon (1726-1782) and Mary (1735-1807) daughter of the Reverend Henry Wickham Rector of Guisley in Yorkshire. Gledhow was purchased by John's father in 1764.  

Turner was to spend a great deal of time in Yorkshire largely due to his close friendship with Walter Fawkes. Between 1808 and 1825 Turner was invited every summer to stay with the Fawkes family at Farnley Hall. From there Turner explored the county and visited Gledhow in 1815. The present work is based on three drawings that survive in the Devonshire Rivers No. 3 and Wharfedale sketchbook (Turner Bequest CXXXIV 12, 15, 58).

Gledhow Hall is painted from the south-east, positioned high on the hill surrounded by glorious rolling parkland. This watercolour captures a moment as the sun rises bathing the landscape with a golden glow whilst dark shadows beneath the trees and in the foreground emphasise the intensity of the light. With a masterly display of delicate scratching out, Turner shows a fine mist rising from a stream in the valley below within which figures gather firewood and a herdsman drives his cattle beyond.

This watercolour was engraved by George Cook and included along with four other engravings after Turner in Dr Thomas Dunham Whitaker's book on the History of Leeds, published in 1816 under the title of Liodis and Elmete.