Loading Spinner
Don’t miss out on items like this!

Sign up to get notified when similar items are available.

Lot 10: Francis Towne (1739-1816)

Est: $43,800 USD - $73,000 USD
Christie'sLondon, United KingdomJune 06, 2002

Item Overview

Description

The road to Santa Maria de' Monti, Naples signed, inscribed, dated and numbered 'St Maria a Monte Naples/N o.15/March 31 s t 1781/Francis Towne' (on the reverse) pen and grey ink, grey wash, watermark 'WHATMAN' 121/2 x 18 in. (31.8 x 45.7 cm.) PROVENANCE Miss Merivale. L.G. Duke. LITERATURE T. Wilcox, Francis Towne, London, 1997, exhibition catalogue, p. 152, fig. 45, 'as whereabouts unknown'. EXHIBITION London, South London Picture Gallery, English Landscape, 1951, no. 55. NOTES This is the only known view by Towne of this particular location. It is recorded by Wilcox as 'whereabouts unknown', in 1997 and as dated '17 March 1781'. This is however not the case. It is indeed dated 31 March, the same date as a version by Towne's fellow traveller and artist Thomas Jones (1742-1802). Jones's version is from exactly the same spot and was executed for Canon J.H. Adams and is still in his family. Jones recorded in his diary for 2 June 1781: 'Here may visibly be traced the Scenery that Salvator Rosa formed himself upon - Only taking away the pine trees, which were, perhaps, planted since his time, and which indicate a State of Cultivation not suited to his gloomy mind, with the addition of Water & a few Banditti - And every hundred yards presents you with a new and perfect Compostion of that Master - When Towne was in Naples, I took him with me to see this romantick [ sic ] place, with which he seemed much delighted.' (T. Jones 'Memoirs of Thomas Jones', ed. by A.P. Opp‚, Walpole Society, vol. 32, 1946-8, published 1951, p. 104). Another version by Jones is illustrated here, fig. 1 (Manchester, Whitworth Art Gallery, Travels in Italy 1776-1783: Based on the Memoirs of Thomas Jones, 1988, no. 119). The dramatic use of shadow in this watercolour, with half the composition deep in shadow and the illuminated area basking in bright sunlight, is a major departure from convention, and something that Towne initiated. Such a device is usually absent from Jones's work but his two Santa Maria de Monti watercolours display a similar technique and thus show the influence Towne had upon him when they sketched together. We are grateful to Tim Wilcox for his help in preparing this catalogue entry. SALESROOM NOTICE Please note additional provenance on this lot should read: Bequeathed by the artist to J.H. Merivale and by descent to Misses M.S. and J.A. Merivale, May 1915 by whom sold to Squire Gallery, 1933 from whom purchased by Leonard Duke, 1933 in exchange for a drawing by T. Gainsborough by whom sold to Nigel Warren, 1955.

Artist or Maker

Auction Details

BRITISH ART ON PAPER

by
Christie's
June 06, 2002, 12:00 AM EST

8 King Street, St. James's, London, LDN, SW1Y 6QT, UK