- Description
-
- Creator
- Francis Towne (1739 - 1816)
- Title(s)
-
- On the Rhine
- Date
- ca. 1781/09
- Medium
- Pencil (?), pen and ink, watercolour
- Dimensions
-
- image width 210mm,
- image length 152mm
- Support
- on paper with stitch marks along the top edge
- Inscription
-
- sheet, verso
- “On The Rhein No.59 light from the right hand”
- Object Type
- Watercolour
-
- Collection
- Catalogue Number
- FT342
- Description Sources
- Museum records (image); Agnew's records
Provenance
Bequeathed by the artist in 1816 to James White of Exeter (1744–1825), on whose death it passed to Towne’s residuary legatee John Herman Merivale (1779–1844) and his successors. Merivale’s granddaughters Maria Sophia Merivale (1853–1928) and Judith Ann Merivale (1860–1945), both of Oxford, inherited the drawing in May 1915 (BP89). In 1931 Judith Merivale sold the drawing to E P Merivale, presumably her sister-in-law Elizabeth Phoebe Merivale (1862/1863–1943). It was probably on sale at Squire Gallery in 1937 and it was later on sale at Colnaghi, where it was bought by Gilbert Davis (1899–1983) on 26 April 1950. It was acquired in 1959 by the present owner, the Huntington Library, San Marino (59.55.1271).
- Associated People & Organisations
- Huntington Library, San Marino, California, San Marino, 1959, 59.55.1271
- Gilbert Davis (1899 - 1983), 26 April 1950
- P&D Colnaghi & Co, London, London
- [?] Squire Gallery, London, 1937
- Elizabeth Phoebe Merivale (1862/63 - 1943), 1931
- Judith Ann Merivale (1860 - 1945), Oxford, May 1915, BP89
- Maria Sophia Merivale (1853 - 1928), Oxford, May 1915, BP89
- John Herman Merivale (1779 - 1844), 1825
- James White (1744 - 1825), Exeter, 1816
- Bibliography
- Adrian Bury, Francis Towne - Lone Star of Water-Colour Painting, Charles Skilton: London, 1962, p. 139
- Timothy Wilcox, Francis Towne, Tate Publishing: London, 1997, p. 90
Other entries in Small Sketchbook: Northern Italy, Switzerland, Savoy and Germany, August and September 1781
A View of a Bridge Fifteen Miles from Florence on the Road to Bologna
Le Rêve at the Head of Lake Como (Lago di Mezzola)
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Comment
This is a view from Towne’s northwards progress along the Rhine through Germany and must date from the latter part of September. There are many castles along the Rhine valley between Mainz and Bonn, and especially between Bingen and Koblenz. The identity of Towne’s castle is unknown, but perhaps it is Burg Maus above Wellmich.
Towne’s fingerprints are visible on parts of this drawing along the bottom edge.