This view of Durham Cathedral from the river Wear, with the castle and Framwellgate Bridge in the distance, is one of two versions of a composition that Girtin appears to have painted soon after returning from his first independent tour, to the northern counties and Scottish Borders in 1796 (the other being TG0919). The sketch on which the two works are based, taken from Prebends Bridge, has not been traced, however. In view of this, the possibility that they were actually copied from a composition by Girtin’s master, Edward Dayes (1763–1804), needs to be considered, not least because his drawings formed the basis for the young artist’s two earliest views of Durham (TG0012 and TG0228). Indeed, the earlier views by Dayes (see TG0012 figure 1 and figure 2) adopt a similar viewpoint, looking from the south west, whilst another of his Durham scenes in an upright format also seems to have been taken from Prebends Bridge (see figure 1). However, there is one detail that clearly indicates that Girtin's view of the cathedral was not made from a sketch by his master. Thus, whilst the two early Girtin copies include the scaffolding around the southern of the two west towers that is shown in Dayes’ view from Prebends Bridge, which he noted in a sketch from his 1789 visit, all of Girtin’s later Durham views omit this detail as restoration work had been completed in the interim. The watercolours by Dayes also usefully point up the curious nature of the one significant difference between the two versions of Girtin’s composition, for here he includes the weir that cuts diagonally across the river at this point but which is omitted in the slightly larger view (TG0919). Dayes too omitted the weir in most of his Durham views, but did include it in just one instance (see TG0012 figure 1). Having copied Dayes' composition at least twice in his youth it may be that Girtin had his master's model in mind when he painted TG0919, but in this case the opportunity to include a visual pun was just too tempting - a weir on the river Wear.

The watercolour was known only as a black and white photograph until the latter stages of the preparation of this catalogue and it is only now that its date to the immediate aftermath of the 1796 trip can be confirmed with a reasonable degree of confidence. The watercolour shares a number of stylistic features with works made from sketches produced on the 1796 tour, such Richmond Castle and Town (TG1067) and the earlier of the two closer views of Durham Cathedral and Castle from the river (TG1075), ranging from similar palettes to comparable treatments of the vegetation and its reflections in the water. There is one detail in particular that the work shares with a number of these early northern views; namely, the prominent reflections of the towers in the river that give an added visual interest but seemingly at the expence of veracity as their extension across the river appears to challenge the rules of perspective. Is it therefore another of Girtin’s jokes that one of the figures seems to point to the reflections? However, a photograph taken by Tom Girtin (1913–94) in the 1970s as he travelled in his ancestor's footsteps (Girtin Archive: 34/1) demonstrates that Girtin had observed the reflections correctly and that their inclusion in the slightly larger version (TG0919) removes any thoughts that, because it omits the weir, it might have been worked from an earlier sketch by Dayes. This is particularly significant because the comparatively muted palette of TG0919 might have suggested an earlier date, perhaps even prior to the 1796 tour. That said, I am not sure exactly how the compositional and stylistic differences between the two versions translates in terms of their dates and I have consequently left both as 1796-97. Could it be that the stylistic differences reflect the interests of patrons, rather than being the result of different dates of production, as there is some evidence that both were commissioned from the artist, rather than being produced for sale on the open market. Indeed, the first owners of both versions were credible amateur artists in their own right. Amelia Long, Lady Farnborough (1772–1837) is known to have taken lessons with Girtin and had a collection containing a number of other watercolours such as The Eagle Tower, Caernarfon Castle (TG1310), whilst TG0919 was probably commissioned by Dr Thomas Monro (1759–1833), and it is not inconceivable that either or both patrons influenced the artist's approach.

1796 - 1797

Durham Cathedral, from the South West

TG0919

1790

Durham Cathedral, from the River Wear

TG0012

1795

Durham Cathedral, from the River Wear

TG0228

1796 - 1797

Durham Cathedral, from the South West

TG0919

1790

Durham Cathedral, from the River Wear

TG0012

1796 - 1797

Richmond Castle and Town, from the South East

TG1067

1796 - 1797

Durham Cathedral and Castle, from the River Wear

TG1075

1796 - 1797

Durham Cathedral, from the South West

TG0919

1798 - 1799

The Eagle Tower, Caernarfon Castle

TG1310