Items Similar to Edward William Cooke RA, West-Country Cove With Cottages, Family & Donkeys
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 15
Edward William CookeEdward William Cooke RA, West-Country Cove With Cottages, Family & Donkeysc. 1875
c. 1875
About the Item
This idyllic late 19th-century oil painting by English artist Edward William Cooke RA (1811-1880) depicts a west-country cove with two cottages, donkeys, figures, and fishing boats. Cooke was a highly renowned painter of marine scenes and landscapes who exhibited extensively at London’s Royal Academy.
From our elevated vantage point, the view extends between two quaint cottages and across the beach before sweeping around the sandy coastline. Crystalline waters lap the shore, where moored craft rest. It’s an accomplished rendering of a challenging composition. It’s enhanced by trees, which essentially ‘frame’ the right side, while a wooded track provides interest on the left.
Cooke was a keen admirer of the Dutch old masters, and the spirit of the Golden Age underpins this splendid work. In diaries, he recorded how he travelled by donkey to access elevated spots in the southwest, so it’s conceivable that he did so here. In his catalogue raisonné, it lists a work from the same year titled ‘Bay with Donkeys’.
Born in Pentonville, London, Cooke was raised in the company of accomplished artists as both his father, George Cooke (1781-1834), and his uncle, William Bernard Cooke (1778-1855), were engravers. As such, they were associated with a circle of Victorian painters who aided Cooke’s early development. These included the highly regarded marine painter Clarkson Frederick Stanfield RA RBA (1793-1867), who provided frequent advice and inspiration. Indeed, as a teenager, Cooke produced numerous drawings after Stanfield’s works.
A precocious talent, by the age of nine, he was already displaying an advanced understanding of engraving, particularly for ships, coupled with a natural, seemingly in-built skill as a draughtsman. Many of his early drawings depict pastoral landscapes after the masters, such as Nicolaes Berchem (1620-1683), Paulus Potter (1625-1654), and Karel Dujardin (1626-1678).
In an extraordinary turn of events, in 1820, his advanced abilities led to his first commission when he provided botanical illustrations for John Loudon's 'Encyclopaedia of Plants’. These were followed by drawings published in the 'Botanical Cabinet' by George Loddiges. He worked tirelessly at the nursery grounds in Hackney, producing hundreds of representations upon wood, followed by around 400 watercolours.
Despite this youthful foray into botanics, ships were Cooke’s true passion and ultimately led to him undertaking a period of study under Captain Burton of the West-Indiaman, ‘Thetis’. During his time with Burton, he filled sketchbooks with depictions of vessels in the London docks while also advancing his knowledge of oil painting.
From here, having navigated his training, his career evolved at pace, and he began to travel extensively. First to Normandy, Havre, and Rouen (1830), next to Belgium, Holland, France, Scotland, and Ireland (1832-1844) and then to Scandinavia, Spain, North Africa and Venice. Working predominently outside, from life, an astonishing array of vistas, weather conditions, and topography were met by his brush.
He first visited the Netherlands in 1837 and returned regularly over the next 23 years, with the 17th-century Dutch marine artists a particular inspiration. These travels served a dual purpose - informing his work while also enhancing his breadth of worldly knowledge. Indeed, Cooke was a great deal more than a painter, as one obiturist noted: “His scientific attainments were marked by his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society, a very rare honour for an artist, in addition to being a Member of the Geological, Linnean, and other learned societies, testifying to his refined tastes and scientific pursuits.”
His commitment to both art and science led to an array of plaudits, including his election to the academies at London, Stockholm and Venice. Over 120 of his works were shown at the Royal Academy in London.
In his later years, he settled in East Grinstead, Sussex, where he “lived the life of a quiet country gentleman in his beautifully situated house on a ridge of hills near Tunbridge Wells, on the confines of the counties of Kent and Sussex.”
He’s represented in numerous major public collections, including at the National Gallery, Tate Britain, the V&A, and the Royal Academy.
Signed/dated in the lower right and held in a later frame.
Provenance: With Arthur Tooth & Sons Ltd, London (1947) / Marine Pictures and Works of Art, Bonhams, London, 10 August 1989, lot 39 / Private collection, UK.
Exhibited: London, Tate, Sickert, Paintings and Drawings, May - June 1960, no. 72.
Artist’s auction maximum: £180,000 for ‘Bella Venezia (1860)’, Oil on canvas, Christie’s, Victorian & Traditionalist Pictures, London, 22 November 2006 (lot 289).
Our reference: BRV2131
- Creator:Edward William Cooke (1811 - 1890, British)
- Creation Year:c. 1875
- Dimensions:Height: 28.5 in (72.39 cm)Width: 36.5 in (92.71 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:Cleaned. Revarnished. Faint stretcher mark. Areas of fine and settled craquelure, as you would expect. The paint layer is stable. Frame in good condition with minor age-related wear.
- Gallery Location:Cheltenham, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2328216188792
About the Seller
5.0
Platinum Seller
Premium sellers with a 4.7+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 2017
1stDibs seller since 2023
234 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 3 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Cheltenham, United Kingdom
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllWilliam Traies (Attributed), Wooded River Landscape With Cascade & Figures
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This charming mid-19th-century oil painting attributed to English artist William Traies (1789-1872) depicts a picturesque river view with cascade, figures and cattle. Traies was an a...
Category
1840s Victorian Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
William Clark Of Greenock (Attributed) Shipping Off Yarmouth & The Needles, Isle
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This mid-19th-century oil painting attributed to Scottish artist William Clark of Greenock (1803-1883) depicts a fully-rigged British frigate sailing off Yarmouth and The Needles, Is...
Category
1860s Victorian Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
George William Mote, Near Guildford, Surrey
By George William Mote
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This late 19th-century oil painting by British painter George William Mote (1832-1909) depicts a shepherd and his flock before an extensive view across the Surrey countryside near Gu...
Category
1880s Victorian Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
George Clarkson Stanfield (Attributed), Shipwreck
By George Clarkson Stanfield
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This mid-19th-century oil painting, attributed to English artist George Clarkson Stanfield (1826-1878), depicts a small vessel approaching a shipwreck, close to the coast. Stanfield ...
Category
1860s Victorian Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
William Adolphus Knell (Attributed), Yachting In The Mediterranean
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This mid-19th-century oil painting attributed to British artist William Adolphus Knell (1805-1875) depicts a sailing yacht before a Mediterranean coastline. Knell was one of the lead...
Category
1860s Victorian Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
David Bates, Behind The Village, Capel Curig
By David Bates b.1840
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This early 20th-century oil painting by British artist David Bates (1840-1921) depicts a rural view in Capel Curig, North Wales. Bates was an accomplished landscape painter who often...
Category
Early 1900s Victorian Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board, Canvas
You May Also Like
Ezekiel in the Valley of Dry Bones
By Philip Burne-Jones
Located in New York, NY
Provenance:
Christie’s, London, 3 March 1922, lot 46 (with The Tower of Babel);
James Nicoll
Private Collection
Sotheby’s, London, 29 March 1983, lot 157
Private Collection, New Yo...
Category
Late 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Arabian Rider at Dusk
By Adolf Schreyer
Located in Austin, TX
Adolf Schreyer's "Arabian Rider at Dusk" is a stunning oil painting on canvas that depicts an Arabian rider in a golden sunset.
By Adolf Schreyer
8.5" x 15.5" Oil on Canvas
Framed...
Category
19th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Pair of 19th Century military oil paintings of volunteer rifle soldiers
Located in Nr Broadway, Worcestershire
**PLEASE NOTE: EACH PAINTING INCLUDING THE FRAME MEASURES 26.25 INCHES X 37.25 INCHES**
Frederick Henry Howard Harris
British, (1829-1901)
Volunteer Rifl...
Category
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
19th Century genre oil painting of two boys fishing
By Herbert William Weekes
Located in Nr Broadway, Worcestershire
Herbert ‘William’ Weekes
British, (1841-1914)
Admiring the Catch
Oil on canvas, signed
Image size: 30 inches x 21.5 inches
Size including frame: 36.5 inches x 28 inches
A wonderful...
Category
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
19th Century coastal townscape oil painting of Cannes, France
By Edward Henry Holder
Located in Nr Broadway, Worcestershire
Edward Henry Holder
British, (1847-1922)
The Port of Cannes
Oil on canvas, signed & dated (18)95
Image size: 14 inches x 39.75 inches
Size including frame: 21.5 inches x 47.25 inche...
Category
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
19th Century continental townscape oil painting of a busy harbour
By Ludwig Hermann
Located in Nr Broadway, Worcestershire
Ludwig Hermann
German, (1812-1881)
A Bustling Harbour Town
Oil on canvas, signed & dated 1863
Image size: 26 inches x 36.5 inches
Size including frame: 35.25 inches x 45.75 inches
A wonderful continental townscape scene of a bustling harbour by Ludwig Hermann. The Medieval architecture is reminiscent of North Germany and the Baltic sea area with its busy trading ports. Figures can be seen chatting to traders as ships sail around the harbour.
Ludwig Hermann or Herman was born Elias Ludwig Julius Herrmann at Greifswald, Germany in 1812 to Wilhelm and Sophie Herrmann. Although little is recorded about his early life and education, he is known to have left his home in 1831 at the age of 19, to pursue an artistic career in Berlin. There he entered the Prussian Academy of Arts where he studied under Johann Gottfried Schadow (1764-1850).
Hermann started exhibiting at the Berlin Academy exhibitions in 1836. A year later in 1837, he travelled to Paris to study under Eugène Isabey (1803-1886) and Eugène Lepoittevin (1806-1870). By 1841 he had returned to Berlin where he married Caroline Wilhelmine ‘Auguste’ Dupont on 16 October, 1841. From his base in Berlin he travelled around Europe painting views of France...
Category
19th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
English Country Cottage
William Ireland
William Kent
Donkey Antique
Victorian Brush
Science Cabinet
Antique Gentlemans Cabinet
17th Century Spanish Cabinet
Antique Dutch Display Cabinet
Tunbridge Wells
Antique African Vessel
Captain Cabinet
Antique African Wood Figures
Victorian Travel Cabinet
1820 French Display Cabinet
Tom Of Finland Vintage
Tom Waits
Tomato Sculpture