Lot 3:
Description
A nineteenth century topographical watercolour on paper depicting Tintern Abbey. The landscape work illustrates the ruined abbey in the mid-ground, viewed across a body of water, likely the River Wye, from a wooded riverbank featuring cattle in the foreground. The composition is executed in a soft palette with fine detail to the foliage and architectural ruins. The painting is housed in an ornate gilt-gesso frame with scroll and foliate corner and centre mouldings, set within a wide metallic-finished mount.
The verso bears several labels. A handwritten white adhesive label reads ‘TINTERN ABBEY / John Blower 1830 / Student of Canterbury / Artist Thomas Sidney / Cooper died 1906’. A red-printed instruction label states ‘IN handling the Frame, please use a / pair of Gloves or a soft Hand- / kerchief, as the heat of the hand / disturbs the size and defaces the Gilt / surface.’ Additionally, a partially torn green and white label reads ‘FROM / Boots / CASH CHEMISTS LTD / PICTURE FRAMING / ART DEPARTMENT’.
Width: 28 1/2 inches (72.5 cm)
Height: 22 1/2 inches (57 cm).
Condition report:
The watercolour shows significant condition issues including heavy foxing and brown spotting throughout the sky (photo 2). There is visible water damage and damp staining along the upper edge and left side of the paper (photo 1). The paper appears toned and discoloured overall. The ornate gilt frame has extensive structural losses and damage; there are multiple missing sections of gesso moulding along the lower edge and corners, exposing the white plaster beneath (photo 1 and 3). The gilding is cracked and flaking in several areas across the frame\'s surface. The metallic mount shows minor surface wear.
Share this lot:
