Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are delighted to present this very large Lake District watercolour by the well known Victorian artist David Cox Junior, who has signed the painting in the lower left hand corner and dated it 1877. He has also signed it, said late Associate RWS and given the location as Near Rosthwaite 1877 on an old label which is affixed to the back of a replacement backing board.

Rosthwaite is a settlement in the Allerdale borough of Cumbria, England. It is also in Borrowdale in the English Lake District. It lies on the B5289 road to the south of Derwent Water and to the east of the Honister Pass in the county of Cumbria.

Historically part of Cumberland, the nearest town to Rosthwaite is Keswick, which is situated approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) to the north.

David Cox Junior, was born in Dulwich in 1809, the only child of David Cox Sen. (1783-1859 and Mary Cox, nee Ragg. He studied, as might be expected, under his father and accompanied him on many sketching tours and visited Belgium and Holland in 1826. He exhibited at the RA from 1827, after which he helped his father in the teaching practice until 1841, when he took over the business. He was appointed an Associate Member of the Royal Institute in 1841 and a Full Member in 1845, resigning 1846. He was made an Associate Member of the Royal Watercolour Society in 1848.

He painted primarily in watercolours and favoured locations in North Wales, then Scotland, the Lakes, the Home Courties and Devon. It is believed he visited Grenoble in 1853 and Switzerland in 1869. 'Maas notes that although he imitated his father, some of his fairly large landscapes display a certain character and distinction of their own. His Studio sale was held at Christie's on April 14-15 1886, after his death on 4th December 1885.

On a personal note, he married firstly in 1841 Hannah Firman (1809-1854) with whom he had four daughters, Frances, Hannah, Mary Katharine, and Emily. Secondly he married Eliza after the death of Hannah. The date of this marriage is unknown, but Eliza was Welsh and was born in Flintshire

In the 1851 Census, the family were living in Streatham Place with all four children and 1 servant. After Hannah death and now married to Eliza he, his new wife Eliza and two of his daughters were residing at 2 New Park Road,Clapham with 2 servants and in 1881 at Chester House, Streatham, where he died. His estate was valued at £38,000, which would be worth £4,797,000 today.

He is listed in The Dictionary of British Artists (Collectors' Club), The Dictionary of Victorian Painters by Christopher Wood and the Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists by Mallalieu. He exhibited from 1827-1884 3 at the Royal Academy, 579 at the Old Watercolour Society, 87 at the New Watercolour Society and 1 at Suffolk Street. Auction results for his prolific works are available at the usual sites.

There are 5 of his oil paintings in the National Collection which may be viewed at artUK.org, although in our opinion, his watercolours are his best works.

The painting has been fairly recently very nicely framed in a substantial 1 3/4" gilt frame with rope detail and is triple mounted in cream. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 29 1/4" x 15 1/4" - 74.25cm x 38.65cm

Frame size: 37 3/8" x 23 3/8" - 94.9cm x 59.35cm

Medium: Watercolours on paper

Condition: Very good. The colours are strong and there is no foxing. The mounts and frame are in very good condition. .