This view of Southwell Minster from the north west was made after a detailed pencil sketch (TG1024) that Girtin executed on his first significant trip outside London, undertaken in the summer of 1794. The tour through the Midland counties was organised by the artist’s earliest patron, the antiquarian and amateur artist James Moore (1762–99) who accompanied Girtin to Lichfield, Lincoln and Peterborough, as well as Southwell, so that his young protégé might sketch at first hand a group of the nation’s finest Gothic buildings. The watercolour of Southwell that Girtin painted for Moore (TG1025) shows the same north-west view of the exterior of the church, but it is larger in scale and employs full colour, unlike this monochrome version which nonetheless appears to have been painted at about the same time. This smaller drawing has been attributed to Girtin’s great contemporary Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) since its arrival in the collection of the Dean of Southwell early in the twentieth century. However, as can be seen by overlaying images of the pencil drawing and the watercolour, the former, which is signed by Girtin, is clearly the source for both this work – they share the same measurements – as well as for the larger version painted for Moore (TG1025), along with another even bigger view of the minster from the north west that has also hitherto been attributed to Turner (TG1026). The pencil work visible under the monochrome washes of this version of the composition are strongly indicative of Girtin’s authorship with numerous characteristic touches showing clearly, particularly in details such as the arcading of the crossing tower and the complex window tracery of the west front.

The long-standing attribution of both this work and the larger full-colour version (TG1026) to Turner is quite understandable given that he too visited Southwell in 1794. Turner’s stay seems to have been a brief one, however, as he completed just the one rapidly executed sketch showing the exterior of the chapter house. The drawing, from the Matlock Sketchbook (Turner Bequest, XIX 33 a), measures just 18.1 × 11.1 cm compared to Girtin’s much larger and more detailed study (23.5 × 26.1 cm) and it lacks the level of information required to produce a major commission. However, whilst the pencil drawing underlying the watercolour here is clearly not by Turner, the authorship of the monochrome washes of colour laid on top are not so clear cut, and not surprisingly it has been suggested that the work was painted at the home of Turner and Girtin’s mutual early patron Dr Thomas Monro (1759–1833) as a collaboration (Nottingham, 2007). It is true that a large number of the Monro School works employ monochrome and a drawing titled ‘Southwell minster’ and listed as by ‘TURNER, R.A.’ was sold at Monro’s posthumous sale in 1833 (Exhibitions: Christie’s, 26 June 1833, lot 96), but it must be remembered that the watercolours produced at the patron’s London home at the Adelphi are almost exclusively copies made from the outlines of other artists. However, there are two instances of Girtin making a pencil drawing from his own on-the-spot sketch for Turner to add monochrome washes for Monro, both showing the ruins of the Savoy Palace in London (TG0368 and TG0369), and the washes of colour do indeed resemble Turner’s work in a number of respects. But at this date the style of the two artists is in any case very close due to the influence on both of Girtin’s teacher Edward Dayes (1763–1804) and there are two other examples of where the authorship of the monochrome colouring of a Girtin sketch is similarly unclear: The Gatehouse, Battle Abbey (TG0277a) and Tolleshunt D’Arcy Church (TG0252). So that although the balance of probability is strongly in favour of a sole attribution to Girtin, if the drawing turned out to have a Monro provenance, it might be necessary to reconsider the matter.

(?) 1794

Southwell Minster, from the North West

TG1024

1794 - 1800

Southwell Minster, from the North West

TG1025

1794 - 1800

Southwell Minster, from the North West

TG1025

(?) 1795

Southwell Minster, from the North West

TG1026

(?) 1795

Southwell Minster, from the North West

TG1026

1795 - 1796

An Exterior View of Part of the Ruins of the Savoy Hospital

TG0368

1795 - 1796

An Interior View of the Ruins of the Savoy Hospital

TG0369

1795 - 1796

The Gatehouse, Battle Abbey

TG0277a

1795 - 1796

Tolleshunt D’Arcy Church

TG0252