Trees by the Lake, Peamore Park, near Exeter, Devon

Francis Towne

1790–1810 · Watercolor over traces of graphite; laid down on original mount · Drawings and Prints

Towne often sketched at Peamore Park, the estate of the Hippesley Coxe family near his home in Exeter. This watercolor is distinguished by blue and green washes heightened with warmer browns. In earlier works, Towne typically used pen and ink to outline and distinguish forms but set that practice aside here and created a strong composition using only finely modulated watercolor; he conveyed luxuriant foliage using feathery touches of the brush. Portions of the paper were left in reserve to define tree trunks and branches in the foreground and the technique helps date the drawing to the seventeen nineties or later. An inscription on the verso notes that Towne painted it “on the spot”, anticipating practices of succeeding generations of British watercolorists.

Artist

Francis Towne

Date

1790–1810

Medium

Watercolor over traces of graphite; laid down on original mount

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Karen B. Cohen Fund, 2009