William Callow R.W.S. 1812-1908

Anonymous sale in these Rooms, 16th July 1987, lot 164 (bt.by the present owner)

Society of Painters in Water-colour, 1844, no.4, under the title: Santa Salute and Dogana, Venice

Although drawn and exhibited in 1844, this watercolour was based upon sketches made on Callow's first visit to Venice in the summer of 1840.  He was there for ten days, industriously sightseeing and sketching.  It was on this visit that Callow met Turner for the second time, for they were both staying at the Hotel Europa.  Callow recalls in his autobiography how Turner had risen early every morning and sketched all day until the absence of light made drawing impossible.  One evening he observed Turner sketching in a gondola 'whilst I was enjoying a cigar...I felt quite ashamed of myself idling away my time whilst he was hard at work so late' (see H.M.Cundall, ed., William Callow, An Autobiography, 1908, p.67)