Joseph Mallord William Turner - York Minster - 1800

A copy of a watercolour by Girtin, which is based on a drawing by Turner in the Turner Bequest, XXXVIB. The Girtin, which measures 18 ¾ x 16 ½ , was sold at Sotheby's on 9 November 1955 (lot 46). At this time, 1878-12-28-23 was widely regarded to be the work of John Henderson, senior, and this was the first occasion when the prototype for one of his copies had surfaced (see correspondence in dossier). The Girtin is datable stylistically to 1800-01, which raises intriguing questions about the circumstances of its production when the Turner drawing derived from his 1797 tour, at the end of the period when the two artists were in close contact at the Monro 'Academy'. Presumably a patron who knew both artists, either Henderson himself, or possibly Monro, asked Girtin to produce the watercolour which showed the Minster in a grander manner than any of the drawings Girtin had made himself on his trip of 1796. The Turner Bequest also includes a watercolour based on the Turner drawing, perhaps by Dayes (TBXXXVIC); although Turner himself may have been prevented by other projects from exploiting the fruits of this northern trip, his work evidently held great interest for other artists, both amateur and professional.

The Turner drawing was exhibited in 'Turner in Yorkshire', York City Art Gallery, 1980, cat. 3, where David Hill observes that the view is taken from near the site of the present railway station.

Source: Tate