PAGE REFERENCE: 09_22

December 2020

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JMW TURNER BRISTOL WATERCOLOUR

The purpose of this page is to ensure that transactions and appearances involving 'The 1793 Hotwells Oil', the 'Bristol Watercolour' and the 'Courtauld Watercolour' are assigned to the correct paintings.

The provenance of the Courtauld watercolour has never been merged or mixed; the Courtauld Watercolour has never been described as 'The Rising Squall'.[_SEE_COURTAULD WATERCOLOUR_]
The only issue is with the 'Bristol Watercolour' which was purchased in 1925 as ''Hotwell House" and was believed, from some time later, to be 'The Rising Squall'. The basic information on this page emerged from a series of e-mails with the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and we have built on that with ongoing research.

From the Bristol e-mails their stated provenance (for the watercolour they then believed to be 'The Rising Squall - Hot Wells [from] St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol'):

• Rev. J. Nixon; London, Christie's sale of Dr.Nixon, 9 July 1864; purchased by Reynolds; then Hull, Mrs H.S.Fussey; purchased per Rev. J. Patton (as 'Hotwell House') by Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, 1925.

The early part of the provenance is for the real 'The Rising Squall - Hot Wells from St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol', the oil.

It looks as if Patton knew the later part of this provenance, from Hull. He may have known something of an 1864 sale but definitely not enough to give a more specific title. He may also have provided some information regarding ownership by the Nixon family. Alternatively Patton may have had some idea that it was an exhibited work without being sure of its title or year of exhibition.

But some other person - a curator at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery perhaps - must have added the early part up to Reynolds, this could not have come from Patton (because, if it had, he would have known the title).

At Christie's 27th April 1864 the watercolour, 'View on the river Avon, near St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol' exhibited 1793, from the collection of Leonard Huskinson (known as: Huskisson) was bought in. We know that this 'View on the Avon' is the 1793 watercolour-drawing from Cunningham.

Rev. John George Patton (c.1864-1948) was a Congregational Church minister appointed (in 1929) to Christ Church, Swanland, E.Yorkshire. Patton sold this watercolour as 'Hotwell House'. He had aquired it from Mrs Hannah Stark Fussey (neé Portas)(1893-1921) who lived nearby in East Halton, Lincolnshire (possibly by bequest from her mother Mrs Hannah Maria Portas (neé Proctor)(1857-1902)). We do not know the identity of Mr. Hull.

1793 Bristol Watercolour painted late 1792 and exhibited 1793

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Here is one of the possible routes we are examining:

1793 Aquired after the exhibition by XXXXX who may have been Rev Robert Nixon
However, if so ithe watercolour did not descend to Rev. Dr. Francis Russell Nixon and the alternative is the elder brother, George Russell Nixon

George Russell Nixon emigrated to Australia in 1861. We have not found any record of his collection in Australia (yet!)

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This is definite for 'View on the river Avon, near St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol' but does not prove that this is the Bristol Watercolour:

1864 sale by Leonard Huskinson but bought in (together with other paintings from his collection)

Leonard Huskinson disposed of at least one of the bought in paintings to Thomas Woolner

If Woolner also had 'View on the Avon' there is a possibility that he sold it to Hull.

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This is the latter part of the supplied provenance of the Bristol Watercolour.

THEN aquisition by Hull

THEN Sale by Hull to the Proctor or Portas family with bequests ending with Mrs H.S.Fussey who died in 1921

THEN Sale by Mrs. H.S.Fussey to Rev. J Patton

1925 as 'Hotwell House'; Sale by Rev J Patton to Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

THEN Still in the posession of Bristol Museum & Art Gallery; reappraised by ? curator 1 ? and renamed 'The Rising Squall - Hot Wells [from] St. Vincent's Rock, Bristol (exh._RA_1793)'.

THEN Still in the posession of Bristol Museum & Art Gallery; reappraised by? curator 2 ? and renamed'Avon Gorge and Bristol Hotwell'.

THE BRISTOL WATERCOLOUR

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