By David Cox
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Unknown title (castle with wall, stream and footbridge)
Watercolor on laid paper, mounted to support of old Albumin photograph mount
Signed and dated lower left (see photo)
The watercolor is mounted on support that is the backing for a vintage albumin photograph of Moulin Huet, Guernsey, Channel Islands, c. 1850's
Condition: Mounted to verso of albumin photograph mount (see photo)
Glue residue outside of image/sheet on recto
Colors fresh
No other issues to note
David Cox (29 April 1783 – 7 June 1859) was an English landscape painter, one of the most important members of the Birmingham School of landscape artists and an early precursor of Impressionism.
He is considered one of the greatest English landscape painters, and a major figure of the Golden age of English watercolour.
Although most popularly known for his works in watercolour, he also painted over 300 works in oil towards the end of his career, now considered "one of the greatest, but least recognised, achievements of any British painter.
His son, known as David Cox the Younger (1809-1885), was also a successful artist.
Early life in Birmingham, 1783–1804
Cox's birthplace in Deritend, Birmingham, illustrated by Samuel Lines
Cox was born on 29 April 1783 on Heath Mill Lane in Deritend, then an industrial suburb of Birmingham. His father was a blacksmith and whitesmith about whom little is known, except that he supplied components such as bayonets and barrels to the Birmingham gun trade. Cox's mother was the daughter of a farmer and miller from Small Heath to the east of Birmingham. Early biographers record that "she had had a better education than his father, and was a woman of superior intelligence and force of character." Cox was initially expected to follow his father into the metal trade and take over his forge, but his lack of physical strength led his family to seek opportunities for him to develop his interest in art, which is said to have first become apparent when the young Cox started painting paper kites...
Category
1840s Romantic Landscape Drawings and Watercolors