Richard Westall & Turner

In 1984 my article on the Westall Brothers was published in 'Turner Studies'. Eric Shanes, the editor, kindly wrote of the final revised text: 'It now reads excellently'. These revisions meant cutting some of the original text and I think it is worth putting some of the cuts on the blog now, starting with this one:

'Richard Westall was considered in a series of articles in the 'Repository of Arts on Painting in Watercolours'. In January, 1813 the writer(thought to have been either Rudolf Ackermann or James Northcote, although Northcote seems unlikely)suggested that 'The entire development of richness and effect which at length elevated this art (of watercolour painting) to vie with the force of painting in oil, was left for the genius of Richard Westall to complete. The drawings of this master, when a very young man, excited universal admiration. Not only the cognoscenti, but the professors themselves, were for some time at a loss to discover by what means he was enabled to produce such splendour of colours and depth of effect...For several years, the historical and elegant compositions of Westall, were principal objects of attraction to the Exhibitions of the Royal Academy...Innumerable engravings have been made from the designs of this artist, many of them on a large scale, which were coloured in imitation of the originals, and have had an extensive circulation, not only in England, but, previous to the impediments created by the wars, in every part of the Continent..The extraordinary productions from the pencil of Westall at once excited the capacities of his contemporaries to the fullest stretch of exertion. Turner was the first to raise himself to rival fame. It was sufficient for his energetic mind to see, that his materials used in his department of art were capable of effecting so much. Without becoming a copyist, he laboured to produce in landscape pictures that should comprehend the same extent of scale, of splendour and effect.'

More texts later!