This view of York Minster from the south west, with the river Ouse to the left and Lendal Tower in the centre, is one of two versions of a composition that has been the subject of considerable speculation about its origin (the other being TG1047) (Hill, 1996, p.146). Neither of the works was included in Thomas Girtin (1874–1960) and David Loshak’s catalogue (Girtin and Loshak, 1954) as they only reappeared on the art market after its publication, but when they did so Tom Girtin (1913–94) sought to show that they were worked up from a pencil drawing by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) (see TG1047 figure 1). Noting the similarity of the composition to a drawing that came from the collection of Dr Thomas Monro (1759–1833), together with small watercolour on card (see TG1047 figure 2), which may also be by Turner, Tom concluded that his ancestor had been encouraged by his patron to use Turner’s drawing as the basis for a large composition (TG1047) and that this work was a second version of that outcome (Girtin Archive, 40A). However, there is a much simpler, less convoluted explanation for the striking similarities between the Girtin and Turner compositions. Thus, as David Hill has argued, Turner appears to have seen Girtin’s northern sketches prior to his own northern tour in 1797 and, as in the case of the view Durham Cathedral and Castle (see TG1075 figure 1), he adopted Girtin’s viewpoint when he visited the city (Hill, 1996, pp.4–5). Two other York views sketched by Turner, York: Pavement, with the Market Cross and All Saints’ Church (see TG1655 figure 1) and York: The Minster Seen from the River, with St Mary’s Abbey (see TG1049 figure 1), also appear to have been inspired by Girtin’s choice of viewpoint, and I can see no reason why this was not the case with this view of the minster – it is just that Girtin’s pencil drawing has either not been identified or not survived.

The original version of this text, used when the site went online in 2022, was drafted from a poor quality black and white image and consequently I was uncertain about the attribution of the work. Much better colour images have since been made available to me and although I still think that the quality of the work is not the best, notably the formulaic treatment of the foliage and some insecure perspective in the minster, which leaves the structure looking strangely insubstantial, the attribution to Girtin now seems more secure. Indeed, it may be that it was this watercolour and not another version (TG1047), known again from a poor quality image, that was commissioned by Dr Thomas Monro (1759–1833) and consequently it was this work that appeared at the Royal Academy in 1797. The text for both versions of the composition will therefore need to be revised and they will appear in the updated version of the site that will go online in September.

1796 - 1797

York Minster, from the South West

TG1047

1796 - 1797

York Minster, from the South West

TG1047

1797 - 1798

York Minster, from the Ouse, with St Mary’s Abbey

TG1049

1796 - 1797

York Minster, from the South West

TG1047