This view of a beached vessel under repair, probably at Dover, displays many of the signs that mark the unique collaboration between Girtin and his contemporary Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) at the home of Dr Thomas Monro (1759–1833). Here the two artists were employed across three winters, probably between 1794 and 1797, to copy ‘the outlines or unfinished drawings of’ principally John Robert Cozens (1752–97), but other artists too, including the patron’s neighbour, the amateur John Henderson (1764–1843), who lent his ‘outlines for this purpose’ (Farington, Diary, 30 December 1794). Henderson visited Dover in the autumn of 1794 and the ‘outlines of Shipping & Boats’ he made there, described by the diarist Joseph Farington (1747–1821) as ‘Very ingenious & careful’, provided the basis for a substantial number of copies commissioned by Monro (Farington, Diary, 1 December 1795). As with the copies the artists made after the sketches of Cozens, ‘Girtin drew in outlines and Turner washed in the effects’, with Turner receiving ‘3s. 6d each night’ though ‘Girtin did not say what He had’ (Farington, Diary, 12 November 1798).¹

Girtin is not known to have visited Dover and all of his views of the town were copied after secondary sources, including his master, Edward Dayes (1763–1804). However, whilst Turner travelled to the port in 1793 and executed a series of studio watercolours after his own sketches, the majority of the Dover subjects sold from Monro’s collection, numbering as many as a hundred, were still produced after the work of other artists (Exhibitions: Christie’s, 26 June 1833; Christie’s, 1 July 1833). The specific source for this work has not been traced, but comparisons with the sketches used by the Monro School artists in the production of other port views – such as Dover Harbour: The Stern of a Large Ship, and Smaller Vessels (TG1473), which displays a similar fascination with the minutiae of marine labour – suggest that it was an outline drawing by Henderson. The amateur’s numerous Dover views are essentially variations on a set of themes, with the same vessels, buildings, views and naval operations returning in different combinations, and it is a measure of their skill that both Turner and Girtin were able to create from this unpromising source a unified body of work that includes sufficient variety to maintain interest levels. The motif of a boat under repair recurs amongst the Dover Monro School subjects, including in Dover Harbour: A Boat under Repair (TG0826) and Dover: Two Boatmen Standing by the Prow of a Brig (TG0828), the latter of which may indeed show the same boat seen here but from the starboard side. A copy of the latter watercolour (see TG0828 figure 1) includes a view of the port of Dover in the background, indicating that the source for this work was also sketched there. The possibility that this was the work of Henderson is further strengthened by the fact that either the original sketch or the Monro School copy was copied by John Sell Cotman (1782–1842), who is known to have worked at Monro’s house around 1799–1800 (see figure 1).²

All of the views of Dover sold at Monro’s posthumous sale in 1833 were attributed to Turner alone, but, despite the fact that the joint authorship of the Monro School subjects has become increasingly the norm following the publication of Andrew Wilton’s pioneering article in 1984, this work was listed as solely by Turner when it last appeared at auction in 1999 (Wilton, 1984a, pp.8–23). This is not altogether surprising given the fact that it is rather more solidly worked in colour by Turner than was commonly the case with the Monro School Dover subjects, with the artist uncharacteristically reinforcing the outlines in pen and ink. Moreover, what little pencil work that is still evident is stiff and lifeless, and so of all the possible Girtin and Turner collaborations produced for Monro it is one of the most difficult for which to make a convincing case. That said, there is no compelling evidence to suggest that Turner was the author of the underdrawing either, and it may be that the work was a collaboration after all.

1795 - 1796

Dover Harbour: The Stern of a Large Ship, and Smaller Vessels

TG1473

1795 - 1796

Dover Harbour: A Boat under Repair

TG0826

1795 - 1796

Dover: Two Boatmen Standing by the Prow of a Brig

TG0828