Title: |
Kirkham Priory, York |
Artist: |
Cotman, John Sell (Norwich, 1782 - London, 1842) |
Date: |
1811 (Second and Final Edition, 1838) |
Medium: |
Original Etching |
Publisher: |
Henry Bohn, London |
Note: |
John Sell Cotman: One of the greatest influences upon the course of early nineteenth
century English landscape art was the Norwich School and its Society of
Artists. From 1805 to 1834 two gifted Norwich landscape painters gained
prominent national reputations, John Crome and John Sell Cotman. Interestingly
both artists extensively explored an all but forgotten artistic media --
etching. Their great art in this field helped pave the way for the work
of the painter-etchers of the latter nineteenth century. |
|
Born in Norwich, John Sell Cotman was educated at the Grammar School.
His first 'education ' in the arts took place in 1798 when he moved to
London and worked as a colourist of engravings for Ackermann's Repository
of Arts. Two years later he exhibited his first drawings and watercolours
at the Royal Academy and, in 1801, he joined the Sketching Society which
included such members as Thomas Girtin, John Varley and Paul Sandby Munn. |
|
From 1802 to 1805, John Sell Cotman visited Yorkshire on three
tours. The watercolours he created on these occasions served as the genesis
for his first published portfolio of etchings entitled, Miscellaneous
Etchings of Architectural Antiquities of Yorkshire (1811). John Sell Cotman
returned to Norwich in 1806 and became President of the Norwich Society
of Artists several years later. |
|
Kirkham Priory, York is one of the 26 plates which
constitute the Miscellaneous Etchings .... First published installments in 1811 a second edition of these etchings was printed in
London by Henry Bohn in 1838. The only difference between the two editions
is that Bohn added Roman numeration to the plates in the upper centre margin.
This original etching entitled, Kirkham Priory, York, printed on stiff wove paper,
from the second and final edition. Like John Sell Cotman's watercolours from this period these etchings
are revolutionary in their presentation of isolated motifs and their superb
delineation of pattern and form. In Kirkham Priory, York, the
monumental Norman doorway is magnificently portrayed, acquiring that form
of immortality and spirit wrought by place and time. A dog rests at its
base while in the background through the arch a lone bird circles the sky. |
|
During the following years, John Sell Cotman produced some of the greatest
watercolours in the history of British art. He also continued creating
remarkable sets of architectural and landscape etchings among which are, Architectural
Antiquities of Norfolk (1812-1817), Architectural Antiquities
of Normandy (1822) and Liber Studiorum (1838). |
|
"For John Sell Cotman architecture was of equal importance to
landscape. He must indeed be seen as one of the great lyric artists of
architecture. In his etching he developed a technique of simple line, curving
and curling, which flickers over the surface of stone arches and great
windows and weaves a brilliant and beautiful sensation of changing textures
and glowing light." *
|
Raisonne: |
A. E. Popham, "Etchings of John Sell Cotman",
Print Collector's Quarterly, 9, 1922, pp. 237 - 273. Catalogue #11, Second
and Final State as published in London in 1838 by Bohn. |
Reference: |
* William Weston Gallery, Etchings by John Sell Cotman
and his Sons, William Weston, London, 1972. Note: Kirkham Priory,
York is illustrated in plate #5. |
Source: |
Miscellaneous Etchings of Architectural Antiquities in Yorkshire |
Size: |
12 X 8 3/4 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height
preceding width of plate-mark or image.) |
|
Matted with 100% Archival Materials |
Buy Now |
Price: $495.00 US |
Condition: |
Printed upon heavy wove paper and with large, full margins
as published in London in 1838. Signed, dated and titled in the plate by
the artist to the lower left margin. A finely printed impression and in
excellent condition throughout. Kirkham Priory, York represents
a prime, original example of the famous etched art of John Sell Cotman. |
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