- 132
Samuel Palmer, R.W.S
Description
- Samuel Palmer, R.W.S
- The Waterfall at Pistil Mawddach, near Dolgelly, North Wales
- Watercolor and bodycolor over pencil;
signed lower right: S. Palmer, inscribed lower left: Pistil Mawddach near Dolgelley N. Wales
Provenance
his sale, London, Sotheby's, 12 July 1967, lot 228
Literature
C. White, English Landscape 1630-1850, New Haven, London 1977, p. 123;
R. Lister, Catalogue Raisonne of the Works of Samuel Palmer, Cambridge 1988, p. 111, no. 243
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
The Palmer scholar, Raymond Lister, hugely admired these images of the falls and placed them firmly in the tradition of the picturesque school of Richard Wilson, James Ward and William Payne. He further suggested that the paintings of Claude Lorrain were a powerful influence. Throughout his life Palmer admired Claude and indeed wrote of him: ‘the last skill of imitation (of nature) is to know what should be omitted… I remember reading a critic questioning the truth of a peculiar mass of rocks in one of Claude’s pictures. I have seen none like it, but I did not measure Claude’s knowledge by my own ignorance. On my next tour, I came upon the very thing and sketched it.’3
The present work has remained hidden from public view since 1967 and with its masterful combination of light, atmosphere and detailed observation of nature, one can understand why Lister referred to this group of drawings as ‘amongst the finest of his post-Shoreham pictures’.4
1. R. Lister, op. cit., p. 106, nos. 226, 227
2. ibid., pp. 106-7, no. 228
3. idem, Samuel Palmer: His Life and Art, Cambridge 1987, p. 5
4. idem, Samuel Palmer – A Biography, London 1974, p. 94