John Sell Cotman (1782–1842) - 1836 Oil The Coast At Twilight

Description

A delicate and naturalistic coastal scene by the renowned English painter, John Sell Cotman. The scene shows a coastal path running near the shoreline. A group of woman, with white caps, can be seen walking along the path as the sky overhead darkens into twilight. The artist's skill is clear in the restrained use of colour and the suggestive brushwork to create form and weight in the landscape. The artist has initialed and dated to the lower left corner and the painting has been presented in its original frame with foliate corner molding. The frame has been treated with a modern gilt effect coating. On canvas.

Condition

The condition is typical for a picture of this age including some discolouration. There is some craquelure to the surface. The painting has areas of discoloured varnish at the outer edges.

Size

15 x 28cm (5.9" x 11")

Artist Biography

John Sell Cotman (16 May 1782 – 24 July 1842) was an English marine and landscape painter, etcher, illustrator, author and a leading member of the Norwich School of painters.

Born in Norwich, the son of a silk merchant and lace dealer, Cotman was educated at the Norwich Grammar School. He showed an early talent for art. It was intended that he followed his father into the family business but, intent on a career in art, he moved to London in 1798, where he met artists such as J. M. W. Turner, Peter de Wint and Thomas Girtin, whose sketching club he joined, and whom he travelled with to Wales and Surrey. By 1800 he was exhibiting at the Royal Academy, showing scenes of the Welsh countryside there in 1801 and 1802. His drawing expeditions took him throughout southern Britain, and to Yorkshire, where he stayed with the Cholmeley family during the three summers of 1803–5.
His sons Miles Edmund and John Joseph Cotman became notable painters in their own right.