February 2020, now being updated February 2023 - there may be some inconsistencies until this update is finished.
JMW TURNER
Gate of St. Augustine's Monastery, Canterbury
WATERCOLOURS
Our interest in Turner's 1792 watercolours of St. Augustine's Gate
arises from the two watercolours of the subject donated to Yale by Paul
Mellon. Other research indicates that these two watercolours may have been
painted during the same Kent tour, in September 1792, and just before, the
completion of Turner's first oil in Rochester ('Rochester Castle and the
Adjacent Ground'). The first oil was completed during a visit to Rev.
James Douglas in Rochester. This study examines the proposal that Turner
gave the smaller of the two Yale/Mellon 'St. Augustine's Gate'
watercolours to the household (James Douglas or another family member) as
a 'thank you' for their hospitality. (Turner had done this before; on a
visit to the Narraways in Bristol, earlier in 1792.).
In the 1793 RA Exhibition 'Gate of St. Augustine's Monastery,
Canterbury' was No. 316.
We can be sure that the gate of the 1793 exhibit, painted in 1792 was St. Augustine's from Turner's title supplied by him to the Royal Academy; (and not Christ Church Gate which was exhibited the following year, (1794)). [1793 Royal Academy Catalogue pages 9-11]. We can be sure that both of the Yale/Mellon paintings are St. Augustine's Gate by comparison with modern photographs.
Thereafter, old records may have been compiled by direct reference to the 1793 exhibit; so Sir William Tite's work may have been named, in the two exhibitions and sale, as St. Augustine's Gate but may have been a different gate. Conversely, records of William Leaf's work do not name the gate merely recording it as 'Canterbury Gate'.
RECORDS OF OWNERS AND THEIR WORKS
This section sets out to examine details of the known Canterbury 'Gate' watercolours. They are presented here in groups which seem to be the same watercolour.
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1.
St. Augustine's Gate
now: Yale B1975.4.1962 |
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This is
our prime suspect for the 1793 exhibit. There are no previous records
found which support this. However, what is known is that Paul Mellon had
collected both this and the smaller version on separate occasions and
that they are the only known finished watercolours of 'St. Augustine's
Gate'.
Watercolours in the earlier records can be ruled out of being the 1793 exhibit (or this work), the Tite was a different size and orientation, similarly Leaf. The Leitch and Berthon could belong here but their relatively low price makes it more likely that they belong in the succession of the smaller work (2 below); an e-mail from Yale stated that this is the provenance recorded for the smaller version.. Yale/Mellon B1975.4.1962 'Saint Augustine's Gate, Canterbury' 13½"
x 19½" (h x w).
The larger of the two St. Augustine's Gate watercolours in Yale,
both donated by Paul Mellon, and the (possible) 1793 exhibit. There is
a 'J Whatman' watermark. It is signed 'W Turner' on the lower right.[Turner
Signatures]
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2.
St. Augustine's Gate
now: Yale B1975.4.1764 |
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The Yale
provenance of this smaller 'St. Augustine's Gate' includes Mrs. E. L.
Berthon's sale at Christies in 1891. Eleanor Leonora Berthon, as she
was, as a widow, when she died in 1891, was christened as Eleanor
Leonora Rogers on 3rd June 1826. She married Robert Berthon Preston on
28th November 1850 and it seems that it was predominantly he who built
the collection. It was a comparatively modest collection but he appears
to have been an enthusiastic exhibitor; in the Liverpool Town Hall
exhibition of 1854 he contributed 23 works and to the Manchester Art
Treasures of 1857 he loaned 11 watercolours.Turner's 'St. Augustine's
Gate' was not amongst these loans but his 'Santa Saba', lot 112 at the
1891 Berthon sale was lent to the Manchester exhibition.
Robert Berthon Preston died aged only 39 in 1860 and his wife seems to have inherited a substantial part of the collection. There is no firm evidence that she continued to build the collection after her husband's death. She remarried in 1867 to Alderson Berthon (note the name 'Berthon' belonging to both husbands!) and so became Mrs. E. L. Berthon as shown in the 1891 sale. (Alderson died in 1888). In respect of the Preston-Berthon collection the purchase of some of the works can be traced to the 1852 Winstanley, John Clow sale. In particular that sale included at lot 35 on the third day, 22nd April 1852, a work by J. M. W. Turner shown as 'The Gothic Arch' and described in the catalogue as an "Early specimen of the master". John Clow's source for this work has not yet been established. However, if Robert Berthon Preston (RBP) bought this work, either directly from the auction or from a local dealer shortly afterwards (and it is clear that RBP did buy lot 39, Cattermole's 'The Hawking Party' because he (RBP) loaned it to Liverpool in 1854), then Preston-Berthon possession can be established from 1852 to 1891. 'The Gothic Arch' was identified by Winstanley as a J. M.W. Turner presumably by signature (Yale B1975.4.1764 is signed) but exactly which arch it was appears to have been missed. It was however, seen as an 'early specimen'; which it would have been - 1792. When the painting reappeared at Christies in 1891 it was recognised as 'St. Augustine's Gate, Canterbury'. If the Preston-Berthon possession of 'St. Augustine's Gate' is established for the years 1852 to 1891 then it cannot possibly be the work auctioned at the Leitch sale; 1884, March 17th, Christie's, as JMW Turner; 'Old Gate of Canterbury'; lot 904.(Lugt 43740). Mrs. E. L. Berthon
B1975.4.1764 'St Augustine's Gate Canterbury' 8¼" x 10½"*
(h x w)
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3.
Leaf
Unknown Gate from 1862 to 1875 in the possession of William Leaf possibly aquired by William Leighton Leitch, the artist now: unknown |
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Various successions considered
On examination of possible links to other Canterbury Gate paintings we have the following comments:
William Leaf; *10½" x 9" (h x w) Canterbury Gate
William Leighton Leitch
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-------4--------Poss Christ Church Gate (from the Street) and Poss 1794 exhibit
We rely on Wilton for the size and image of the watercolour in the Scottish collection.
Sir William Tite height 20½" x width 16"
Catalogues of 2 exhibitions and 1 sale show St. Augustines Gate but
it could be Christ Church Gate exh 1794
No image.
Scotland Private Collection; Wilton No. 53; Illustrated Wilton, 20
1/8" x 15¾" (h x w); 'Christ Church Gate'
Source of Wilton's illustration seems to be the said private
collection. It differs slightly from the small version in the Fitzwilliam.
...detail:
-----5-----Christ Church Gate from the street ------------------------------------------------------
Fitzwilliam Museum; Christ Church Gate (from the street); Stokes,
Cooper, Ruskin; Illustrated Fitzwilliam website; 10½" x 10¼"
(h x w)
-----6-----Christ Church Gate from the precinct Turner Bequest------------------------------------------------------
Tate - Turner Bequest D00176 support size h x w 213 x 274 - 8½"
x 10¾"; photo, Tate, 'Christ Church Gate from the precinct'
-----7-----Christ Church Gate from the precinct Yale Mellon ------------------------------------------------------
Yale/Mellon B1986.29.494; Christ Church Gate (from the precinct) 8
7/8 x 10 1/4 (h x w)(The image in Wilton 54 is the same as Yale/Mellon
exhibit [B1986.29.494] )
RECORDS OF ANALYSTS AND THEIR BELIEFS
Wilton
Wilton records four Canterbury watercolours on pages 306 & 307:
Another four, Nos. 31, 32, 33 & 34 appear on pages 303 & 304 and No. 38 refers to another.
Turner's title from the 1793 RA catalogue is 'Gate of St. Augustine's Monastery, Canterbury'
Yale/Mellon B1975.4.1962 'Saint Augustine's Gate, Canterbury'
Yale, Mellon as 'Saint Augustine's Gate, Canterbury' [2020]
...Height: 13.5" (343mm); sheet
...Width: 19.375" (492mm)
...Signature: 'W Turner' lower right
...Provenance: Bought by Paul Mellon from Agnew 1962
This is definitely Wilton's No. 33
So why do we think this is the exhibit?
Same duality as 'View on the River Avon'
It is the correct building compared with
modern photographs but check
Agnews; 89th Annual Exhibition.No. 52 .. Feb 5th to Mar 3rd 1962
as 'St. Augustine's Gate, Canterbury' [1962]
...No size info
...Provenance: Agnews (London) sale catalogue priced at 2000/-/-
...Comments: Agnews made no claim that this was the 1793 exhibit. (Agnew's
'picture stock book' provides information only for oils)
Agnews catalogued it as 'St. Augustine's Gate, Canterbury' possibly
just from geographical knowledge.
Graves [1918]
...Comments: Graves does not list this watercolour-drawing. See C.F.
Bell (just below) and Graves for 'Old Gate Of Canterbury' (below) in
connection with Graves' listing for 1891, May 15th, Christie's, 'St.
Augustin's, Canterbury'; Lot 121; Sold by Mrs. E. L. Berthon; Bought by
Nathan; £19/19/- .
C.F.Bell as Gate of St. Augustine’s monastery, Canterbury [1902]
...Height: 16"; assembly not known
...Width: 20.5"
...Provenance: 1793; Royal Academy Exhibition (316)
......................GAP
......................1873 Exhibited O.M by Sir William Tite
......................1874 Sold by Sir William Tite; Bought by
Durlacher; £158/11/-
......................GAP
......................1891 Sold by Mrs. Berthon; Bought by Nathan; £19/19/-
...Comments: Clearly C.F.Bell thought that the Berthon sale was the
1793 exhibit. However, C.F.Bell is not reliable; it is probably closer to
the truth to say that 'he did not give much thought to the price
discrepancy at all'; C.F.Bell's unreliability is demonstrated by his
mistaken interpretation of the Redgraves' publications, see
Redgrave
Sequence. The meaning of abbreviation (O.M.) is RA Old Masters
Exhibition.
Armstrong
as 'Canterbury: St. Augustine's Gate ?RA 1793' [1902]
...Height: 16" (406mm); assembly not known
...Width: 20.5" (521mm)
...Provenance: Sold by Sir William Tite, Christies sale of 1874,
...(4th April in Wilton but actually 4th July)
......................BFAC 1871 see Burlington below
......................RA 1873
...Comments: Armstong published in 1902; it must be noted that the
publisher was Thos. Agnew and Sons; the same Agnew as the gallery/dealers.
Armstrong also held the directorship of the National Gallery of Ireland.
Is it reasonable to regard Armstrong as a more reliable source than
C.F.Bell? If so, Armstrong's omission of the Berthon sale might be
relevant, ie: a deliberate omission because Armstrong regarded it as a
different rendition; the title in Graves was not the title of the 1793
exhibit and the price was wrong. There are references to 'the late Sir
William Tite' in the Art Journal 1874
p138,
p163. The recorded dimensions
are slightly larger than B1975.4.1964 but Armstrong may be showing mount
or frame sizes. Wilton's No.31 above shows these dimensions.
Redford as 'St. Augustine's Gate, Canterbury' [1888]
...No size info
...Provenance: 1874, Sold by Sir Wm Tite; Bought by Durlacher; £158/11/-
Christie's Catalogue 1874 4th July lot 3; 'St. Augustine's Gate,
Canterbury' - An early work
In the section for Sir William Tite MP this must be the work exh.
Royal Academy Old Masters 1873 No.384 and Burlington 1871; later Redford
lists it bought by Durlacher.
Royal Academy Old Masters 1873 No.384. 'St. Augustine's Gate,
Canterbury'. The catalogue confirms Sir William Tite as lender and the
size: 20½"x16"
Dimensions are stated as 'the height is always placed before the
width' - but it looks as if the dimensions are transposed here - or are
they?; two independent sources, this and Burlington 1871, with sight of
the work, in the possession of Tite, appear to transpose height and
width..
Burlington [1871] as No. 85 'St. Augustine's Gate, Canterbury',
w 16" x h 20¼; lent by Sir William Tite (page 75 of catalogue)
...Height: 20.25"
...Width: 16" (are dimensions transposed?)
...Signed 'W. Turner'; probably the drawing exhibited at the Royal
Academy 1793;
...Exh. Sir William
Tite (1798-1873);
...Comments: This confirms Tite's ownership of the exhibited
watercolour from at least 1871 to 1874 (executor sale)
London International 1862 No 992 'Canterbury Gate' lent by William Leaf (No dimensions)
This watercolour is not either of the St. Augustine's Gate works:
Further details re: William Leaf's 'Canterbury Gate' - London International 1862 No 992; Leaf died in 1874 age 83, his sale catalogue 35642; 1875-05-06 Christie (Leaf's collection assembled over 50 years). So Leaf was age 2 in 1793 and cannot have been 1st owner of any Turner work before around 1815.
Royal Academy Exhibition Catalogue 1793 [1793]
...No size info
...Provenance: 1793 Exhibit No.316 as 'Gate of St. Augustine's
Monastery, Canterbury'
...Comments: In the List of Exhibitors 'W. Turner, Hand Court, Maiden
Lane, Covent Garden - 263, 316, 323. This was the first year that 'Hand
Court' appears in the record; it is not clear (at 11th Feb 2020) whether
the 1793 exhibits were painted here or at his father's house.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CURRENT 'FIRST SIGHTING' of B1975.4.1964 'Saint Augustine's Gate, Canterbury'
The first 'sighting' of this watercolour-drawing (after the 1793 RA
Exhibition) was in 1871 at the Burlington Fine Art Club exhibition when it
was owned by Sir William Tite. Note that this was around 10 years earlier
than the current first sighting of the smaller B1975.4.1764 'Old Gate Of
Canterbury'
Note however, the Tite work may not have been
the Yale/Mellon work
FIRST OWNER of B1975.4.1964 'Saint Augustine's Gate, Canterbury'
Sometime in the period from 1793 (the exhibition) to the sale of 1874
(or loan of 1793 if C.F.Bell is accurate which is questionable)
Sir William Tite
aquired this watercolour-drawing. Tite was born 1798 and 1874 was his
executor's sale so his aquisition falls within an approximate timeframe
1820 to 1872. Currently we have his earliest recorded purchase as 1868
(purchase of Clarkson Stanfield; 'On The Thames'; oil; £393/15/-;
seller: N.N. Sources: Redford) when Tite was aged 70! - he died 5 years
later. We have no catalogues for 1874 or 1868.
'Gate of St. Augustine's Monastery, Canterbury' (B1975.4.1964 'Saint Augustine's Gate, Canterbury') appears in the 1793 RA Catalogue as exhibit 316 in the Library. It is not marked with an asterisk which implies that it had been sold (or it's destination otherwise determined) before the exhibition. A report of the Christies sale of 1864, 9th July, in 'The Art Journal' shows that Rev. Robert Nixon was the first owner of the 1793 exhibit, the oil, 'The Rising Squall' (sold as 'The Hotwells, Bristol - storm coming on'). This places Nixon as possible first owner of 'Gate of St. Augustine's Monastery, Canterbury'. There are other possibilities.
B1975.4.1764 'Old Gate Of Canterbury'
Yale, Mellon as 'Old Gate Of Canterbury'
...Height: ?
...Width: ?
...Signature: 'W Turner Delin' lower right
...Provenance: (?) In the possession of W.L.Leitch
......................1884, March 17th, Christie's, Lot 304 [sic, it
was lot 904]; as 'Old Gate of Canterbury'; Seller (Leitch); Bought by W.W.
......................GAP
......................1891, May 15th; Christie's; Lot 121; Sold by
Berthon; Bought by Nathan
......................GAP
......................THEN Seller unknown; Bought by Agnew
......................1971, March; Sold by Agnew; Bought by Paul
Mellon
Graves; as 'Old Gate of Canterbury; and St. Augustin's, Canterbury
[1918]
...No size info
...Provenance: 1884, March 17th, Christie's, Lot 904; as 'Old Gate of
Canterbury'; Drawing; Seller: W.L.Leitch; Bought by W.W. £16/16/-
.......................GAP
......................1891,, May 15th, Christie's, Lot 121; as 'St.
Augustin's, Canterbury'; Drawing; Seller: Mrs. E. L. Berthon; Bought by
Nathan £19/19/-
...Comments: In the 1884 sale 'Lot 904' is correct; the various
sources that quote 'lot 304' probably originate from a typesetting error.
Graves provenance closely matches the Yale provenance. The 1884 seller is
the artist William Leighton Leitch (1804-1883) and in 1884 (March 13, to
17th) some of his own works were sold at Christies; these are recorded in
Graves. All these 1884 Leitch sales must have been executor sales as
Leitch died in 1883.
It is also noted that Mrs.
Berthon sold another
Turner Lot, 112, 'Convent of Santa Saba, Sinai', (Drawing), at this sale,
to Vokins for £53/11/-.
C.F.Bell; [1902]
...Comments: C.F.Bell is exhibited works only but he lists the
Berthon sale as part of the provenance of 'Gate of St. Augustine’s
monastery, Canterbury exh. 1793'
Armstrong; [1902]
...Comments: There is no entry in Armstrong for this ('Old Gate of
Canterbury') watercolour-drawing. There are four 'Canterbury'
watercolour-drawings listed. One, (as 'Canterbury: St. Augustine's Gate
?RA 1793'), is certain to be the 1793 exhibit. Two other 'gate' drawings
are in Fitzwilliam Museum and Nat. Gallery of Ireland and the fourth is
'Caterbury Cathedral' 20.25"x14.74" which Armstrong suggests is
'St. Anselm's Chapel exh 1794. The latter suggests that Turner continued
his 20"x 15" format for exhibits into 1794.
Redford; [1888]
...Comments: Redford does not list the 1884 Leitch sale. The only
references to 'Canterbury' and 'Augustin' in
Redford are on
page 180 for 1874. The ( 'St. Augustine's Gate, Canterbury') exhibit is
listed. Then there is an entry for two drawings, 'Interior Canterbury
Cathedral', 11.75"x 10" sold by J Heugh for £61/19/- with
the buyer column blank; but on the line above the buyer is 'Agnew' so it
is possible that ditto marks are unintentionally missing and that the
buyer was Agnew. These two interiors are not in Armstrong. Graves shows
entries for the Heugh sale in 1874 but these two interiors are not
included; but does have a later entry, 1890, June 9, Christie's; Lot 76.'
Interior—Canterbury Cathedral'; Drawing; Signed; Seller: Sir Joseph
Heron; Bought by Edis, £18/18/-.
London International Exhibition 1862 page 56/57 JMW Turner; Canterbury
Gate; Drawing; W Leaf
Comments: this could be either one of the two drawings or neither but
it does not really fit in as the exhibited work because it overlaps the
Tite ownership. It is therefore recorded here as more likely being 'The
Old Gate'. Leaf W, Park Hill, Streatham (London International 1872);
William Leaf (Burlington 1868); Graves: Leaf sales at Christies May 7th
1875 (maybe died 1875).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CURRENT 'FIRST SIGHTING' of B1975.4.1764 'Old Gate Of Canterbury'
It is not yet known if the London International Exhibition 1862 'Canterbury Gate' is this picture - owned by W Leaf (at least 1862 to 1875)
The first 'sighting' of this watercolour-drawing ('Old Gate Of Canterbury') is the 1884 March 17th Leitch sale and the evidence is Graves and the Yale/Mellon provenance. We have no 1884 catalogues at all.
FIRST OWNER of B1975.4.1764 'Old Gate Of Canterbury'
It seems highly unlikely that these watercolours (B1975.4.1964 and
B1975.4.1764) spent any significant time together in their early years.
Like the Bristol and Courtauld watercolours they were probably separated
almost at the same time that they were painted. If, like the Courtauld
watercolour, the small version (B1975.4.1764 'Old Gate Of Canterbury') was
given (or sold) 'in situ' the most likely recipient is Rev. James Douglas
and since there are (currently) no records of Douglas selling works in his
lifetime it is reasonable to assume that, if he was the first owner, he
would have passed the watercolour to his daughter (Margaret Martha) along
with the oil 'Rochester Castle and
the Adjacent Grounds' for which we have firm evidence in the
'Nephew's Letter' and in reports of the Christie's sale of 14th May 1860
lot 168 seller: Hering. The Nephew's letter mentions only the oil and it
is unlikely that Hering had any other work from the Nephew.
There were other individuals who, by similar reasoning, could have
been the first owner:
As for the first owner, based on current information, we should be looking primarily at Rev. James Douglas whilst keeping open the possibility of Rev. Robert Nixon and the lesser possibilities of E. Bell and the friend in Margate.
Associated Work
