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David Cox Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

English, 1783-1859

David Cox was born at Deritend, near Birmingham, in 1783, as a son of a blacksmith. In around 1798, aged 15, he was apprenticed to a miniature painter named Fieldler. Following Fieldler's suicide, Cox was apprenticed around 1800 as an assistant to a theatre scene-painter named De Maria. In 1804, he took work as a scene-painter with Astley's Theatre and moved to London. By 1808, Cox had abandoned scene-painting, taking water-color lessons with John Varley. In 1805, he made the first of his many trips to Wales, with Charles Barber; his earliest dated watercolors are from this year. Throughout his lifetime, he made numerous sketching tours to the home counties, North Wales, Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Devon. Cox exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1805. His pictures never sold for high prices, and he earned his living chiefly as a drawing-master. Through his first pupil, Col. the Hon. H. Windsor (the future Earl of Plymouth), who engaged him in 1808, Cox acquired several other aristocratic pupils. He wrote several books, including Ackermann's New Drawing Book (1809); A Series of Progressive Lessons (1811); Treatise on Landscape Painting (1813) and Progressive Lessons on Landscape (1816). The ninth and last edition of his Series of Progressive Lessons was published in 1845. In 1810, he was elected President of the Associated Artists in Watercolor. In 1812, following the demise of the Associated Artists, he was elected an Associate of the Society of Painters in Watercolor (Old Watercolor Society). Cox was elected a Member of the Society in 1813, and exhibited there every year except 1815 and 1817, until his death. In about 1814–15, he was appointed drawing-master at the Military Staff College, Farnham. With his appointment as drawing-master at Miss Croucher's girls' school, he took up residence in Hereford. He made his first trip to the Continent, to Belgium and Holland, in 1826 and moved to London the following year. He exhibited for the first time with the Birmingham Society of Artists in 1829, and with the Liverpool Academy from 1831. In 1839, two of Cox's watercolors were bought from the Old Watercolor Society exhibition by the Marquis of Conyngham for Queen Victoria. Around 1840, Cox took up oil painting, studying under W.J. Müller (1812–45). Cox exhibited two oil paintings at the Royal Academy in 1844. From 1844–56, he spent summers at Betws-y-Coed, in North Wales. His health suffered following a stroke in 1853. In 1855, he was represented by watercolors at the Paris Universal Exhibition. By 1857, however, his eyesight had deteriorated. An exhibition of his work was arranged in 1858 by the Conversazione Society, Hampstead, and in 1859 a retrospective exhibition was held at the German Gallery, Bond Street, London. Cox died several months later. He was buried in Harborne, near Birmingham, where he had retired in 1841.

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Artist: David Cox
David Cox Jnr (1809-1885) - Mid 19th Century Watercolour, Conway Castle
By David Cox
Located in Corsham, GB
Unsigned. Presented in a gilt frame and washline mount. Titled to gallery label verso. Provenance: with Agnew's, London. On paper.
Category

Mid-19th Century David Cox Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

David Cox Jnr. ARWS (1809-1885) - Framed Watercolour, Duncraggan
By David Cox
Located in Corsham, GB
David Cox Jnr. ARWS (1809-1885)- original watercolour. Mountain landscape with cottages. Signed and inscribed to the lower right. Presented in a glazed oak frame. Labelled to the rev...
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Late 19th Century David Cox Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Unknown title (castle with wall, stream and footbridge)
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...
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1840s Romantic David Cox Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

The River Barge
By David Cox
Located in Fairlawn, OH
The River Barge Pen and ink on paper on laid paper, mounted in English drum mount , c. 1810 Unsigned Condition: Slight sun staining to sheet and mount in th...
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1810s Romantic David Cox Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

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David Cox drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic David Cox drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by David Cox in ink, paint, watercolor and more. Not every interior allows for large David Cox drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Ellsworth Woodward, Dipen Bose, and William Russell Flint. David Cox drawings and watercolor paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,500 and tops out at $3,500, while the average work can sell for $3,000.

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