Greenwich Hospital from the Thames between Deptford and Millwall, at low tide

Details

David Cox, Sen., O.W.S. (1783-1859)
Greenwich Hospital from the Thames between Deptford and Millwall, at low tide
signed 'D. Cox.' (lower left)
pencil and watercolour with scratching out and with touches of white heightening
6 1/8 x 9 5/8 in. (15.2 x 24.4 cm.)

Provenance

Rev. Mr Hopton, Canon-Frome Court, Herefordshire, bought direct from the artist, 1826.
The Hopton family, Hagley Court, Bartrestree, near Hereford; bought at the house sale in 1962.
Anon. sale, Phillips, London, 11 July 1994, lot 38.
with Agnew's, London.

Literature

G. Bauer, Le Siècle d'Or de l'Aquarelle Anglaise, Anthèse, 1998, p. 99, pl. 124, illustrated in colour.
W. Hauptman, L'Âge d'Or de l'Aquarelle Anglaise 1770-1900, Lausanne, 1999, pp. 106-107, no. 56, illustrated in colour.
G. Bauer, David Cox: 1783-1859, Précurseur des Impressionistes?, Anthèse, 2000, p. 92, illustrated in colour.

Exhibited

London, Agnew's, 122nd Annual Exhibition of Watercolours and Drawings, 1995, no. 40, illustrated in colour.
Lausanne, Fondation de l'Hermitage, L'Âge d'Or de l'Aquarelle Anglaise 1770-1900, 22 January - 24 May 1999, no. 56.

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium

Lot Essay

Cox met the Rev. Hopton in the early days of his residence in Hereford, where he had moved in 1817; he gave drawing lessons to Hopton's daughters during the following ten years. In 1826 the artist met up with the Hopton family in Brussels during his first brief visit abroad. He travelled with them to Holland where he made many sketches from boats on the canals and rivers.

Greenwich became an important subject for Cox who probably saw King George IV embark for Scotland from there in 1822. Some of Cox's largest scale works depict Greenwich, including a magnificent watercolour measuring 27 1/8 x 42 1/8 in. now in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (S. Wildman, David Cox 1783-1859, Birmingham, 1983, p. 61, no. 29, illustrated p. 61).

The various vessels depicted include from left to right a mechant ship and a two-decker warship off Deptford Dock, a spit-rigged barge and a brig with sail set off the Hospital.

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