Master Works on Paper from Five Centuries

Joseph Mallord William Turner, RA and Thomas Girtin

A beached vessel in the Inner Harbour at Dover

Auction Closed

July 5, 10:16 AM GMT

Estimate

15,000 - 20,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Joseph Mallord William Turner, RA and Thomas Girtin

London 1775 - 1851 & London 1775 - 1802

A beached vessel in the Inner Harbour at Dover

Grey wash over pencil, on wove paper watermarked: 1794 / J Whatman

298 by 229 mm

William Hookham Carpener (1792-1866);
with Agnew's, London, by 1970;
with Spink, London, by 1991,
sale, London, Christie's, 28 November 2000, lot 162;
where acquired by the father of the present owner

B.W. Singer, D.J. Gardiner & J.P. Derow, 'Analysis of White and Blue Pigments from Watercolours by Raman Microscopy', Paper Conservator, vol. 17, no. 1, 1993, pp. 13-19;
G. Smith, Thomas Girtin (1775-1802): An Online Catalogue..., no. TG0810

London, Spink's, 1991, no. 1

This view of Dover dates to circa 1795-6 and is probably derived from a drawing by John Henderson (1764-1824), a wealthy connoisseur, collector and amateur artist who lived at 4 Adelphi Terrace, London.

During this period both Turner and Girtin regularly attended Dr Thomas Monro’s ‘Academy’ at 8 Adelphi Terrace, and it is likely that this work was painted there. It was Joseph Farington, R.A. (1747-1821) who noted in his diaries that Turner and Girtin would often work together there, with Girtin drawing in ‘the outlines’, while Turner washed in the ‘effects.’ The dot-dash of Girtin's drawing technique, which he may have picked up from studying drawings by Canaletto that were in the possession of Henderson, is particularly clearly visible in this sheet.¹

The first known owner of the watercolour was W.H. Carpenter, keeper of Prints at the British Museum and husband to the painter Margaret Sarah Carpenter (1793-1872). Their collection also included works by Michelangelo and Raphael.

We are grateful to Ian Warrell and Greg Smith for their help when cataloguing this lot.

1. E. Shanes, Young Mr Turner, The first forty years, New Haven 2016, p. 102