Documents: A Year by Year Record of Dated Watercolours and Prints, Early Accounts of the Artist and His Works, Manuscript Material Relating to Sales and Collections

1814 Documents

Documents, Dated Watercolours and Early Accounts of the Artist

Alexander Chalmers, The General Biographical Dictionary: Containing an Historical and Critical Account of the Lives and Writings of the Most Eminent Persons in Every Nation; Particularly the British and Irish; From the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time (Chalmers, 1812–17, vol.16, pp.8–9)

GIRTIN (THOMAS), an ingenious young landscape-painter, was born Feb. 18, 1773, and received his first instructions from Mr. Fisher, a drawing-master in Aldersgate-street, and was, for a short time, the pupil of Mr. Dayes. He early made nature his model; but the first master that struck his attention forcibly was Canaletti, and, in the latter part of his life, he sedulously studied the colouring of Rubens. He was the first who introduced the custom of drawing upon cartridge-paper; by which means he avoided that spotty, glittering glare so common in drawings made on white paper; and some of his later productions have as forcible and spirited an effect as an oil-picture, and are more clear. In his first manner he made the outline with a pen, but afterwards did away that hard outline, which gives so edgy an effect to drawings that are not, in other respects, destitute of merit; and, having first given his general forms with Indian ink, finished his work by putting on his different tints. This, if judiciously managed, is certainly a great improvement in the art. It has been said, that he made great use of the rule, and produced some of his most forcible effects by trick, but this was not the case. His eye was peculiarly accurate; and by that he formed his judgment of proportions. Whoever inspected his pallet would find it covered with a greater variety of tints than almost any of his contemporaries employed. Mr. Moore was his first patron, and with him he went a tour into Scotland. The prospects he saw in that country gave that wildness of imagery to the scenery of his drawings by which they are so pre-eminently distinguished. He also went with Mr. Moore to Peterborough, Lichfield, and Lincoln; and, indeed, to many other places remarkable for their rich scenery, either in nature or architecture. That gentleman had a drawing that Girtin made of Exeter cathedral, which was principally coloured on the spot where it was drawn; for he was so uncommonly indefatigable, that, when he had made a sketch of any place, he never wished to quit it until he had given it all the proper tints. He was early noticed by Lord Harewood, Mr. Lascelles, and Dr. Monro; in whose collections are some of those fine specimens of the arts by the study of which he formed his taste. The doctor has in his possession some of his earliest, and many of his finest, drawings. He painted two pictures in oil; the first was a view in Wales, which was exhibited, and much noticed, in 1801; and the second, the panorama view of London, which was exhibited in Spring-gardens. About twelve months before his death he went to France, where he staid till May. His last, and indeed his best, drawings were the views of Paris, which were purchased by lord Essex, and from which aqua-tinta prints by other artists have since been made. This promising young artist died Nov. 9, 1802, of an asthmatic disorder, which Mr. Edwards seems to attribute to irregularity.¹

2 April 1814

Girtin’s portrait (see print after TG1933) is published in William Daniell’s A Collection of Seventy-Two Portraits of Eminent Characters Sketched from Life since the Year 1793 (Daniell, 1808–14)

28 April 1814

The Morning Post, 28 April 1814, p.1

PARIS! – GIRTIN’S VIEWS in PARIS and ENVIRONS, dedicated, by permission, to the Right Hon. the Earl of Essex, containing 20 plates in superior royal, drawn by the late THOMAS GIRTIN, the only etchings of that extraordinary artist, and carefully executed in aquatinta by the most esteemed engravers; prints, 4l. 4s.; proofs 6l 6s.; etchings, 6l. 6s.; a very few of the two latter to be had – Published by J. Girtin, Engraver, &c. 330 Oxford-street, near Argyll-street. J. G. most respectfully informs the Nobility, Gentry, &c. possessing curious autographs (ancient or modern) or works of art or science, that they might be inclined to publish, he shall feel happy in their favours. Plan, maps, heraldry, cards for the fashionable … or commercial purposes. -- Langues etrangeres, etc.

Around 1814

Catalogue of Pictures at Harewood House, Hanover Square, London (manuscript, Leeds City Archive Department, Harewood Papers 520, quoted in Hill, 1995, pp.57–58)

The ‘Red Room’ contains ‘15. A view of Plumpton’, which can be identified as Plumpton Rocks, near Knaresborough (TG1553).

The ‘Small Drawing Room’ is hung with five drawings by Girtin: ‘17. A Landscape’; ‘18. Guisborough Priory’ (TG1698); ‘19. A Landscape’; ‘22. A Ruin’ and ‘24. A View on the Wharf’, the last of which must be On the River Wharfe at Bolton Abbey (TG1554).

The ‘Large Drawing Room’, hung with many of the family’s collection of watercolours by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), includes just one Girtin work, ‘39. A Mountainous Scene’, the monumental A Mountain View, near Beddgelert (TG1322).

The ‘Anti-Room’ contains ‘45. A View of Harewood House’ (TG1547 or TG1548) and its pair ‘51. A View of Harewood’ (TG1547 or TG1548).

The smaller drawings and sketches hang in the ‘Breakfast Room’ and include ‘67. A Landscape’; ‘68. Boats’, which may be Ships in a Harbour, Possibly at Bristol (TG1290); ‘73. A Waterfall’, identifiable as The Ogwen Falls (TG1330); ‘74. A Pencil Sketch’; ‘75. A Landscape’; ‘77. Harewood Bridge’ (TG1551); ‘79. A Pencil Sketch’; ‘82. A Pencil Drawing’; and ‘83. A Landscape’.