Henry Dawson

Thomas McLean, London;
Sir Tollemache Sinclair;
The McDermid family;
Christie's, 21 October 1977, lot 83;
Sotheby's, Belgravia, 6 October 1980, lot 7;
Sotheby's, 11 June 1986, lot 9;
Private collection

Birmingham, Royal Society of British Artists, Spring Exhibition, 1876, no.123;
Nottingham, Castle Museum and Art Gallery, 1878, no.49;
Earls Court, 1897, no.47;
Nottingham, University Art Gallery, Henry Dawson Centenary Exhibition, 1978, no.63

Alfred Dawson, The Life of Henry Dawson, 1891, pp.106-118

The canvas has been lined. There are some light ares of craquelure in the sky upper left otherwise the work appears in good overall condition, read to hang. Ultraviolet light reveals some small, scattered areas of retouching in the sky and in a few isolated places in the foreground. Held in a gilt plaster frame.
"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."

Grey towers of Durham
Yet well I love thy mixed and massive piles
Half church of God, half castle ‘gainst the Scot
And long to roam these venerable aisles
With records stored of deeds long since forgot.-
Sir Walter Scott, 1816.

Pale sunlight breaks through the characteristically clouded English sky, bathing the majestic grey towers of Durham Cathedral in soft, pale light. A boating party floats lazily down the slow-moving River Wear, with Framwellgate Bridge seen in the distance. Dawson’s gorgeously atmospheric composition, awash with the tranquil hues of summer twilight, is a meditation on the ephemerality of human life – the two boats will soon be carried by the current past the imposing cathedral, which has overlooked this landscape since the early middle ages and will continue to do so for centuries to come. The human figures are humble and miniscule as they pass in the shadows of the monumental Norman cathedral, erected by their ancestors as a shrine to St. Cuthbert and a fortress against enemy invasions. Dawson’s composition radiates with an evocative timelessness.

Born into poverty, Dawson did not receive any formal education as he had to abandon school to work in a lace manufactory to support his family. In his spare time, Dawson indulged his passion for painting, and at the age of twenty-four abandoned his job in the factory to become a professional painter. Dawson had only twelve lessons from J.B. Pyne and therefore his masterful landscape and maritime pictures are a testament to his natural talent. Dawson became a member of the Liverpool Academy in 1847, and also exhibited at the British Institute, Suffolk Street, and Portland Gallery. The 1878 Nottingham Exhibition raised Dawson’s profile as an artist and ensured success throughout the final years of his career.