English School Mount Hekla, Iceland

KT493

Watercolour over traces of pencil, inscribed in pen and dark brown ink verso: 58/Sketch Cozens (crossed out)/J. Varley

15 x 24.5 cm.; 6 x 9 5/8 inches

Provenance

C.L.N. Miles Esq;

Spink (K3 7052);

Private collection U.K. until 2021

This intriguing drawing has been attributed to John Robert Cozens and John Varley in the past. It bears a resemblance to one of Edward Dayes Icelandic subjects and can be compared with the view of Mount Hekla in the collection of Eton College https://catalogue.etoncollege.com/object-fda-d-183-2010.

This drawing was probably based on an on-the-spot sketch of Iceland, made circa 1800-1810, as would have been the case for the view of Mount Hekla in the Eton collection. Hekla is one of Iceland’s most active volcanoes located in the south of the country.

The influence of Girtin and Turner, can be seen in the treatment of the sky and the mountains, and is a resemblance to the work on which Turner and Girtin collaborated has been suggested. Stylistically the lower half of this work seems to look back to the blot techniques of Alexander Cozens.

I am grateful to Ian Warrell and Greg Smith for their comments on this drawing.