This view of York Minster from the south west, with the river Ouse to the left and Lendal Tower in the centre, is one of two versions of a composition that has been the subject of considerable speculation about its origin (the other being TG1047) (Hill, 1996, p.146). Neither of the works was included in Thomas Girtin (1874–1960) and David Loshak’s catalogue (Girtin and Loshak, 1954) as they only reappeared on the art market after its publication, but when they did so Tom Girtin (1913–94) sought to show that they were worked up from a pencil drawing by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) (see TG1047 figure 1). Noting the similarity of the composition to a drawing that came from the collection of Dr Thomas Monro (1759–1833), together with small watercolour on card (see TG1047 figure 2), which may also be by Turner, Tom concluded that his ancestor had been encouraged by his patron to use Turner’s drawing as the basis for a large composition (TG1047) and that this work was a second version of that outcome (Girtin Archive, 40A). However, there is a much simpler, less convoluted explanation for the striking similarities between the Girtin and Turner compositions. Thus, as David Hill has argued, Turner appears to have seen Girtin’s northern sketches prior to his own northern tour in 1797 and, as in the case of the view Durham Cathedral and Castle (see TG1075 figure 1), he adopted Girtin’s viewpoint when he visited the city (Hill, 1996, pp.4–5). Two other York views sketched by Turner, York: Pavement, with the Market Cross and All Saints’ Church (see TG1655 figure 1) and York: The Minster Seen from the River, with St Mary’s Abbey (see TG1049 figure 1), also appear to have been inspired by Girtin’s choice of viewpoint, and I can see no reason why this was not the case with this view of the minster – it is just that Girtin’s pencil drawing has either not been identified or not survived.

The text used when the site went online in 2022 was drafted from this poor quality black and white image and consequently I was uncertain about the attribution of the work. The recent opportunity to examine the work has lead to a significant reappraisal, however, and the entry will be rewritten for the next update of the site in the New Year. Problems I had with the integration of the foreground and the distance and the perspective of the Minster itself can be explained by an uneven degree of fading and I am now convinced that the work is an important outcome of the 1796 tour. Indeed, it may be that it was this watercolour and not the other slightly larger version (TG1047) that appeared at the Royal Academy in 1797 as 'View of York’ (nos. 486, 489, 499 and 726). The evidence for this is admittedly thin, but not without some significance. Joseph Farington noted in his diary that the ‘Academy I went to & looked over pictures – Girtin’s drawings 18 Inches 4 guineas’ (Farington, Diary, 4 June 1797). This drawing does indeed measure 18 in high (45.7 cm) and whilst this is hardly conclusive it does indicate the price that Girtin was able to command for a framed watercolour at this date. Interestingly, the work is not marked as for sale in the exhibition catalogue which might suggest that it had been lent by its first owner were it not for the fact that Girtin followed the common practice at this time by which artists rarely signalled that they were using the exhibition as a marketplace, preferring to suggest, no doubt erroneously at times, that they had had success in finding patrons for their work (Smith, 2001, p.197). It follows from this that in addition to being an exhibition piece the watercolour may also be identified with the view of the minster owned and presumably commissioned by Monro. This too will be discussed in the new version of this entry.

1796 - 1797

York Minster, from the South West

TG1047

1796 - 1797

York Minster, from the South West

TG1047

1797 - 1798

York Minster, from the Ouse, with St Mary’s Abbey

TG1049

1796 - 1797

York Minster, from the South West

TG1047