John Sell Cotman
Encyclopedia
John Sell Cotman was an English marine and landscape painter, etcher, illustrator and author, one of the leading lights of the Norwich school of artists.
Cotman was born in Norwich, England
, the eldest son of a prosperous silk merchant and lace dealer, and was educated at the Free Grammar School
. He showed a talent for art from an early age and would go out on frequent drawing trips into the surrounding countryside.
Cotman's father intended him to go into the family business but instead, intent on a career in art, he moved to London in 1797-98; He made a living, initially, through commissions from print-sellers. He came under the patronage of Dr. Thomas Monro
, whose house was also a studio and meeting place for local artists. Here Cotman made the acquaintance of J M W Turner, Peter de Wint
and Thomas Girtin
- the latter, in particular, becoming a very influential figure in his artistic development. He joined a sketching club started by Girtin, and went on drawing expeditions to Wales
and Surrey
.
In 1800, at the age of 18, Cotman had his first work exhibited at the Royal Academy
and was also awarded an honorary palette by the Society of Arts. He continued to exhibit at the Academy until 1806, and also went on several extended drawing trips through England and Wales.
In 1809, Cotman married Ann Mills, daughter of a local farmer. They went on to have five children together. His main living came from the teaching of art and one of his students, local antiquary Dawson Turner
, became a good friend, introducing him to many pupils and collaborating on one of his books. Apart from painting and drawing, Cotman made many etchings of old buildings and sepulchral brasses in Norfolk which were published in 4 volumes between 1811 and 1819. He also made several journeys to Normandy
in France, between 1817-20, and the engravings produced were also published in 2 volumes in 1822.
From 1812 to 1823, Cotman lived in Yarmouth
and, being on the coast, was able to study shipping and master the form of waves. Some of his finest marine pieces date from this time. However, he returned to Norwich in 1824 in order to better his financial position, and showed work from 1823 to 1825 at the Society of Artists' annual exhibitions. He was a collector of prints, books and armour, and also had a many models of ships to help him with his compositions.
In 1825, Cotman became an Associate of the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours
and was a frequent exhibitor until 1839. However he was driven to despair by his constant financial struggles.
in London, partly on the recommendation of J M W Turner. In 1836, his son, Miles Edmund was appointed to assist him. Dante Gabriel Rossetti
was one of his pupils.
In London Cotman was friends with a number of artists including James Stark, George Cattermole
, Samuel Prout
and Cornelius Varley
. In 1836, he became an honorary member of the Institute of British Architects
. In 1838, all of his etchings were published by Henry George Bohn
including "Liber studiorum".
Cotman died in July 1842, and was buried in the cemetery behind St. John's Wood chapel. Subsequently, all of his works and his collection of prints and books were sold by auction at Christie's
, realising just over £525 - a relatively paltry sum.
His sons, Miles Edmund Cotman
and John Joseph Cotman
, also became painters of note. Cotman's name is used as a trademark by Winsor & Newton
for a range of artist's watercolour materials.
, watercolour, pencil and chalk, as well as producing many hundreds of etchings.
His work can be found in the UK at the Castle Museum and Art Gallery in Norwich (well over 2000 pieces), Tate Gallery
, British Museum
and Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Fitzwilliam Museum
in Cambridge, City Art Gallery
in Leeds and other regional centers. In the USA, Cotman is represented at the Yale Center for British Art
in New Haven, Connecticut and other galleries around the country.
Early life and work
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the eldest son of a prosperous silk merchant and lace dealer, and was educated at the Free Grammar School
Norwich School (educational institution)
Norwich School is an independent school located in Norwich, United Kingdom. It is one of the oldest schools in the world, with a traceable history to 1096, and is a member of The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.It is a fee-paying, co-educational day school and has one of the best...
. He showed a talent for art from an early age and would go out on frequent drawing trips into the surrounding countryside.
Cotman's father intended him to go into the family business but instead, intent on a career in art, he moved to London in 1797-98; He made a living, initially, through commissions from print-sellers. He came under the patronage of Dr. Thomas Monro
Thomas Monro
Thomas Monro was a British art collector and patron as well as Physician to George III. He was Principal Physician of the Bethlem Royal Hospital in London but resigned in June 1816 as a result of scandal when he was accused of ‘wanting in humanity’ towards his patients.Monro was best known as a...
, whose house was also a studio and meeting place for local artists. Here Cotman made the acquaintance of J M W Turner, Peter de Wint
Peter De Wint
Peter De Wint was an English landscape painter.De Wint was the son of an English physician of Dutch extraction who had come to England from New York., he was born in Stone, Staffordshire. He moved to London in 1802, and was apprenticed to John Raphael Smith, the mezzotint engraver and portrait...
and Thomas Girtin
Thomas Girtin
Thomas Girtin was an English painter and etcher. A friend and rival of J. M. W. Turner, Girtin played a key role in establishing watercolour as a reputable art form.-Biography:...
- the latter, in particular, becoming a very influential figure in his artistic development. He joined a sketching club started by Girtin, and went on drawing expeditions to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
.
In 1800, at the age of 18, Cotman had his first work exhibited at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
and was also awarded an honorary palette by the Society of Arts. He continued to exhibit at the Academy until 1806, and also went on several extended drawing trips through England and Wales.
The Norwich Society years
In 1807 he returned to his home city, Norwich and, joined the "Norwich Society of Artists", exhibiting many of his works there in 1808. In 1811 he became president of the society.In 1809, Cotman married Ann Mills, daughter of a local farmer. They went on to have five children together. His main living came from the teaching of art and one of his students, local antiquary Dawson Turner
Dawson Turner
Dawson Turner was an English banker, botanist and antiquary.-Life:Turner was the son of James Turner, head of the Gurney and Turner's Yarmouth Bank and Elizabeth Cotman, the only daughter of the mayor of Yarmouth, John Cotman. He was educated at North Walsham Grammar School, Norfolk and at Barton...
, became a good friend, introducing him to many pupils and collaborating on one of his books. Apart from painting and drawing, Cotman made many etchings of old buildings and sepulchral brasses in Norfolk which were published in 4 volumes between 1811 and 1819. He also made several journeys to Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
in France, between 1817-20, and the engravings produced were also published in 2 volumes in 1822.
From 1812 to 1823, Cotman lived in Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
and, being on the coast, was able to study shipping and master the form of waves. Some of his finest marine pieces date from this time. However, he returned to Norwich in 1824 in order to better his financial position, and showed work from 1823 to 1825 at the Society of Artists' annual exhibitions. He was a collector of prints, books and armour, and also had a many models of ships to help him with his compositions.
In 1825, Cotman became an Associate of the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours
Royal Watercolour Society
The Royal Watercolour Society is an English institution of painters working in watercolours...
and was a frequent exhibitor until 1839. However he was driven to despair by his constant financial struggles.
King's College, London
In January 1834 Cotman was appointed Master of Landscape Drawing at King's College SchoolKing's College School
King's College School, commonly referred to as KCS, King's, or KCS Wimbledon, is an independent school for day pupils in Wimbledon in south-west London. The school was founded as the junior department of King's College London and occupied part of its premises in Strand, before relocating to...
in London, partly on the recommendation of J M W Turner. In 1836, his son, Miles Edmund was appointed to assist him. Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English poet, illustrator, painter and translator. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848 with William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais, and was later to be the main inspiration for a second generation of artists and writers influenced by the movement,...
was one of his pupils.
In London Cotman was friends with a number of artists including James Stark, George Cattermole
George Cattermole
George Cattermole was an English painter and illustrator, chiefly in watercolours. He was a friend of Charles Dickens and many other literary and artistic figures.-Life and work:...
, Samuel Prout
Samuel Prout
thumb|right|Samuel Prout painted by [[John Jackson]] in 1831thumb|right|Market Day by Samuel Proutthumb|right|A View in Nuremberg by Samuel Proutthumb|right|Utrecht Town Hall by Samuel Prout in 1841...
and Cornelius Varley
Cornelius Varley
Cornelius Varley was an English water-colour painter.-Biography:Varley was born at Hackney, London, on the 21 November 1781. He was a younger brother of John Varley, a watercolour painter and astrologer, and a close friend of William Blake, he was born in Hackney, London...
. In 1836, he became an honorary member of the Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
. In 1838, all of his etchings were published by Henry George Bohn
Henry George Bohn
Henry George Bohn was a British publisher. He is principally remembered for the Libraries which he inaugurated: these were begun in 1846 and comprised editions of standard works and translations, dealing with history, science, classics, theology and archaeology.-Biography:Bohn was born in London...
including "Liber studiorum".
Cotman died in July 1842, and was buried in the cemetery behind St. John's Wood chapel. Subsequently, all of his works and his collection of prints and books were sold by auction at Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
, realising just over £525 - a relatively paltry sum.
His sons, Miles Edmund Cotman
Miles Edmund Cotman
Miles Edmund Cotman was the eldest son of John Sell Cotman. He was brought up as an artist, exhibited landscapes in Suffolk Street and at the Academy, and in 1842 succeeded his father as drawing-master at King's College, London.-References:...
and John Joseph Cotman
John Joseph Cotman
John Joseph Cotman was an English landscape painter. The son of John Sell Cotman, he was born in 1814. He had considerable talents, but owing to his extravagant and eccentric habits, he always lived in a destitute condition. He died at Norwich in 1878.-References:...
, also became painters of note. Cotman's name is used as a trademark by Winsor & Newton
Winsor & Newton
Winsor & Newton manufactures a wide variety of fine art products including: oils, alkyds, watercolours, acrylics, pastels, brushes, canvases, papers, portfolios, and distributes the Derwent pencil sets.-History:...
for a range of artist's watercolour materials.
Work
Cotman worked in oilsOil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
, watercolour, pencil and chalk, as well as producing many hundreds of etchings.
His work can be found in the UK at the Castle Museum and Art Gallery in Norwich (well over 2000 pieces), Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
, British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
and Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Fitzwilliam Museum
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge, located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge, England. It receives around 300,000 visitors annually. Admission is free....
in Cambridge, City Art Gallery
Leeds Art Gallery
Leeds Art Gallery in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England is a museum whose collection of 20th century British Art is recognised by the British government as a collection "of national importance". Its collection also includes 19th century and earlier art works. The gallery opened on 3 October 1888 as...
in Leeds and other regional centers. In the USA, Cotman is represented at the Yale Center for British Art
Yale Center for British Art
The Yale Center for British Art is an art museum in New Haven, Connecticut at Yale University which houses the most comprehensive collection of British Art outside the United Kingdom...
in New Haven, Connecticut and other galleries around the country.
External links
- J S Cotman online (ArtCyclopedia)
- Gallery of Cotman's works (selected) (Castle Museum & Gallery, Norwich)
- Gallery of works (comprehensive) (Castle Museum & Gallery, Norwich)
- "Greta Bridge" and "The Drop Gate, Duncombe Park" (Watercolours - British Museum)
- Find-A-Grave profile for John Sell Cotman