George Cuitt

Colonel M. H. Grant;
Anonymous sale, Glasgow, Christie's, sale at Barnard Castle, 18th September 1989, lot 333 (bt. for £16,000)

London, Arts Council of Great Britain, Early English Landscapes from Colonel Grant's Collection, 1952, no. 13

Colonel M. H. Grant, A Chronological History of the Old English Landscape Painters, London 1958, Vol. III, p.249, the view of High Force illustrated as plate 251

STRUCTURE Both canvases have been lined. PAINT SURFACE Both paintings appear to be in good condition. In the first there are a few minor old flecks of visible retouching in the sky, and some minor abrasion in the lower right of the painting. In the second there is one area of very minor abrasion in the lower left. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light reveals both painting have a very discoloured and opaque varnish overall, and confirms the condition mentioned above. There is some very minor retouching in the upper right corner of the second picture. FRAME Each held in a dark wooden frame, with a gilded inner edge. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com.
"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."

'Like the fall of the Niagara in Canada....Swifter than an arrow from a bow the rapid water comes headlong down in a fall of 140 feet, which is 3 feet more than the descent of Niagara....It is a grand and amazing scene.'

These words of Thomas Amory from The Life of John Buncle of 1756, describe in dramatic terms the celebrated High Force on the river Tees in Yorkshire, one of the most famous sublime views for the eighteenth-century traveller or artist in Britain. The companion picture shows a famous bridge over the river Tees, originally constructed to enable Holwick lead miners to get to the lead mine in Little Eggleshope. The bridge was built in the mid eighteenth century, suspended on wrought iron chains which had been forged by hand. After the collapse of this original bridge, the Duke of Cleveland paid for a replacement bridge completed in 1830.