Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A. (London 1775-London 1851) & Thomas Girtin (British ...

We would like to thank Andrew Wilton for his assistance in the attribution of this work.

Arno, a Villa among Trees and Bushes presents an imposing Tuscan farmhouse framed by sprawling verdant vegetation. The light terracotta tones of the tiled roof and walls blend harmoniously with the subtle colouring of the surrounding landscape. The blue sky is dappled with light cloud cover that hints at muted summer warmth, while the varying palette of greens applied to the trees and bushes highlight their lusciousness and the fertility of the local soil.

The present work was completed for the physician and watercolour enthusiast Dr. Thomas Munro. The young Joseph Mallord William Turner, R.A. and Thomas Girtin worked for Munro for three years copying the watercolours of John Robert Cozens (1752-1797), amongst others, in Munro’s collection.¹ The present work bears a label which reads: ‘Italian villa with trees 7½ inch by 9¼ Bought from Agnews as a copy by Turner from Cozens. Original sketch in pencil is in Vol. vi. of the Beckford Sketch Books, now owned by the Duke of Hamilton. Volume vi. contains J.R. Cozen’s sketches made between Sept 15th and Oct 10th 1783 and the sketch for the above drawing is dated “Arno Sept 25th” and is on page 14 of the volume. There are five other sketches of the same date, one of “Villa Salviate on the Arno”, another of the Grand Dukes Palace.’

In 1794 Girtin first visited the home of Dr. Thomas Monro to study and produce work with Turner. ‘Girtin drew the outlines and Turner washed in the effects. They were chiefly employed in copying the outlines or unfinished drawings of Cozens of which they made finished drawings.’² The present work was executed c.1795 and is typical of Girtin’s and Turner’s work for Monro.

As early as 1780 Cozens started making watercolours of Italian subjects for William Beckford (1760-1844) who was a friend and patron of his father, the artist Alexander Cozens (1717-1786). In 1782/1783, Cozens made his second trip to Rome, via Germany and Austria and he travelled as far as Naples accompanied by Beckford who was, at the time, one of the wealthiest men in England. During this sojourn Cozens filled his sketchbooks with small studies, which he later worked up into finished watercolours. There are seven Beckford sketchbooks containing Cozens’ work from this trip. View from Isola Borromea, Lago Maggiore in The Tate Gallery, is one of the finished watercolour series commissioned by Beckford on their return.

¹ Munro had cared for Cozens during his last illness, as well as treating the insanity of King George III (1738-1820).
² Susan Morris, Thomas Girtin (Yale, 1986), p. 12. Turner and Girtin told Joseph Farington of their activities at Dr. Monro’s house.