This monochrome study of barns and an upturned cart is one of fifteen generally slight colour sketches, all measuring roughly 8.9 × 11.4 cm (3 ½ × 4 ½ in), that appear to have come from a sketchbook worked late in Girtin’s career. Thomas Girtin (1874–1960) and David Loshak thought that these works ‘represent the fruits of local sketching trips taken during the summer of 1802’, and they argued that the fact that none of them were used as the basis for studio watercolours supported a late date (Girtin and Loshak, 1954, pp.84–85). However, only one of the scenes can be identified as a local view, Copenhagen House, Islington (TG1783), and although some of them appear to be imaginary, others, as here, resemble the picturesque vernacular subjects sketched by Girtin in Essex three or four years earlier, including A Farmyard with Cattle, which possibly shows Pinkney’s Farm at Wimbish (TG1757). Thus, whilst the sketches were evidently created at speed, it is unlikely that they were worked up on the spot, being produced instead in the studio to satisfy the market for the less formal aspects of the artist’s output. The evidence that they come from a sketchbook is also ambiguous, since, as the paper historian Peter Bower has pointed out, specialised books for the use of artists were not manufactured at this date, and they either used pocketbooks or they themselves gathered together sheets of paper (Bower, 2002, p.141). New evidence, in the form of the account of John Girtin (1773–1821) of the material that he removed from his brother’s studio at his death, suggests that the latter was the case here. John records that amongst the items that he appropriated to settle his brother’s extensive unpaid debts were ‘4 little Books partly of sketches and partly blank paper’, and it seems likely that these included the group of small drawings now in the British Museum, which would, indeed, date from late in his life (Chancery, Income and Expenses, 1804). John Girtin was thus responsible for splitting up the ‘little Books’ and selling the sketches to collectors such as Chambers Hall (1786–1855), the generous patron of the museum (Smith, 2017–18, pp.35–36).

The drawing is one of only two upright compositions amongst the group of small sketches and, as in its companion, A Shady Road Leading to Cottages (TG1779), the choice of format has resulted in a very claustrophobic scene. As with a number of the other sketches, there is a strong sense of the artist trying out a composition, creating in this case an idiosyncratic image that has no obvious parallel with any of his larger watercolours, with the upturned cart adding an almost surreal touch. Likewise, Girtin restricted himself to a simple monochrome palette, though he has added more detail than was commonly the case. Working on a small scale in a restricted range of tones no doubt meant that the artist was able to colour other similar drawings at the same time, including TG1794 and TG1799, possibly with others that have yet to be identified.

(?) 1802

Copenhagen House, Islington

TG1783

1800 - 1801

A Farmyard with Cattle, Poultry and Labourers Unloading Hay, Possibly Pinckney’s Farm, Radwinter

TG1757

(?) 1802

A Shady Road Leading to Cottages

TG1779

(?) 1802

A Building with a Tall Chimney, next to a Stream

TG1794

1798 - 1799

Farm Buildings by a Pond

TG1799