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Lifelong friend of William Blake, George Cumberland (1754-1848) was a man of artistic, antiquarian and literary tastes. Between 1793 and 1798, while living at Bishopsgate, Egham, Cumberland published seven works, including earlier works of poetry, A Plan for the Improvement of the Arts in England (1793), which included proposals for a national gallery of sculpture in Green Park; and other works illustrated by William Blake. Cumberland bought many of Blake's publications, pressed booksellers to take them, and found work for the artist. In 1803 Cumberland moved to Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, before settling at 1 Culver Street, Bristol, in 1807, where he lived until his death there on 8 August 1848. He was buried at St-Augustine-the-Less on 14 August 1848.
He became one of the earliest members of the informal group of artists which has become known as the Bristol School, and one of the first to take part in the group's excursions to sketch the scenery around Bristol. Cumberland helped many of the Bristol artists through recommendations and introductions to his influential friends. His landscape sketches and watercolours produced at this time have a simple directness of vision, reminiscent of those of his friend John Linnell.
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery has a collection of George Cumberland's works.
Twelve of these George Cumberland watercolours were up for auction sale on 7th March 2019 (Lot 62), also the signed letter (see below) from Lord Frederic Leighton to Miss Frith (William Powell Frith's spinster daughter) regarding the famous painting 'A Private View at the Royal Academy, 1881', featuring Leighton, as President of the Royal Academy, in the centre of the painting.
10 (Mount Pleasant) Culver Street, Bristol.
Culver Street, Bristol
Inscribed on the reverse "Flower Garden, Autumn afternoon at Lawrence Weston near Bristol __ little garden of old Jenkins' Cottage, GC."
'Kings Arbour, Lawrence Weston, near Henbury, Bristol'
'Kings Arbour, Lawrence Weston, near Henbury, Bristol' A similar scene, not in the collection. Auctioned by Christie's on 11 July 1989 'Fine Bristish Drawings and Watercolours', London. Extract scanned from my copy of the catalogue. (please see below for Christie's biographical notes on George Cumberland).
Could the man with the top hat and walking stick sitting in the arbour be ‘old Jenkins’, the same person depicted in the Lawrence Weston Flower Garden picture above? or a neighbour?
Inscription on reverse of 'Flower Garden, Lawrence Weston.'
Inscribed on the reverse: "Cottage Tea house. - Mrs Hall, Leigh Wood gate" (near Bristol)
'Tea House, Leigh Wood Gate', inscribed verso.
Untitled, likely by George Cumberland (same collection)
Inscribed on the reverse "Old Piggots Way from the barn at Weston, with the old fashioned?? fox hound? garden, which you will remember."
Inscribed on the reverse: "Windmill Hill and Princes buildings -from the Avon bank, Ashton side, afternoon".
Reverse, including blind stamp (part). 'Warner & Co, Draw Paper' (or 'DRAW G PAPER'?). Smith, Warner & Co of 211 Piccadilly (1800-1820), and 208 Piccadilly (1821-1825).
Warner & Co
The company was established by 1800 and was a leading supplier in the early 19th century, to artists such as JMW Turner, Eugene Delacroix, Samuel Palmer and John Linnell. Ref the National Portrait Gallery, 'British Artists' Suppliers 1650-1950'. From 1816 to 1822 the business operated its own paper mill at Iping in Sussex, which could give an indication of the date of the painting. Warner died in 1824, and the business relocated to Marylebone and was carried on by partner Charles Smith after that date. Although in some instances Smith continued to use the Warner name for business purposes, it seems unlikely that he would continue to manufacture paper with Warner's name on. The paper may have been manufactured at the Smith, Warner & Co paper mill, which operated in Sussex 1816-1822.
Inscribed on the reverse: 'Near Mr Gutch's Villa, with a view of St George's Church near Bristol'.
Inscribed on the reverse: 'Boat builders sheds, Bristol'
Inscribed on the reverse: 'Boat Builders Sheds from Quay'
'A sailing vessel in a squall off a headland' Samuel Palmer (1805-1881). The provenance details of this small painting (only 9 x 9.8cm) and sold by Christie's in 2006 for £7,800, included George Cumberland.
'At Hailsham, Sussex, storm approaching' 1821 Samuel Palmer (1805-1881)
'Snowdon from the summit of Mount Siabod' c1835 Samuel Palmer (1805-1881)
'A Hilly Scene' c1825 Samuel Palmer (1805-1881)
Pair of dogs, unsigned.
Bird of Prey, unsigned, See above.
Miniatures
Another miniature in the set. Does anyone know where this is?
Another miniature in the set, figures in front of a ruined building, with arch to the left.
Another miniature in the set, a church scene with figures under a tree.
Another miniature in the set, a river bridge
A miniature watercolour, ships on the sea
Inscribed on the reverse: 'Leslie Forte'.
Inscribed along the base 'Coquette and Isabella of Cofsipore' {Cossipore}
'Tombs on the Via Latina' (near Rome, Italy).
'Tombs on the Via Latina' (near Rome, Italy). Unknown artist. Initials JHW, THW or HW? Dated lower right- March 25 .69.
This would have been drawn not long after the tombs were discovered in 1857/58, but before they were expropriated by the Italian State in 1879.
Inscription enlargement for 'Tombs on the Via Latina'
'Papigno near Termi' (Italy)
'From Monte Mario' (Rome, Italy).
'Perugia from the Citadel' (Italy).
'Perugia from the Citadel'
A Private View at the Royal Academy, 1881', by William Powell Frith (1883)
A couple of publications on Archive.org provide additional useful background information which supports the likely date of the letter: WP Frith ‘My Autobiography and Reminiscences’ (1887, vol 1-3), and a book by his daughter Jane Ellen Panton (1847-1923) ‘Leaves from a Life’ (1908) . Another book, part of which is available online at Google Books is ‘William Powell Frith -Painting the Victorian Age’ by Mark Bills & Vivien Knight.
Frith’s Autobiography has a chapter on ‘The Private View’ (p441). He states on page 445 “… a great part of the year 1881, and nearly the whole of 1882 was spent on the picture “The Private View”.,,,”. We know from the letter that Leighton visited Frith at his home and studio in early/Spring 1882, maybe for a discussion, viewing or possibly for a sitting. On page 442 Frith states “ Sir F Leighton is in earnest conversation with Lady Lansdale, who sits on one of the ottomans in the gallery not far from Lady Diana Huddlestone, Baroness Burdett-Coutts, and others. …….(list of people). I received the kindest assistance from all these eminent persons, many of whom came to me at great sacrifice of time and engagements. Mr Gladstone was one of the first to come, but his first sitting was cruelly cut short, as he was obliged to attend another appointment.”
On page 409 “When I undertook my picture of the “Private View,” I was anxious to make it representative of some of the eminent men and women of the time, who might have been present. In that spirit I wrote to du Maurier (George du Maurier, Punch), and I append his reply.” Several short letters follow, including one on Valentine’s Day 1882, and 11 April 1882 trying to arrange a suitable date for sitting. ”My dear Frith, I cannot as yet give an answer about sitting next week, not knowing when I can spare the time, as the Water Colour Gallery will have its touching-up days…….”
Another example (page 412) is a letter from John Tenniel (political cartoonist for Punch and illustrator, including Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), dated February 19th 1882 “My Dear Frith, “Awfully proud, to be one of the crowd” in your picture, I will sit to you with very great pleasure any Wednesday afternoon you will kindly appoint. Next Wednesday, if you like, at, say, about three o’clock”….
Therefore we know that Frith organised sittings for the main characters in the painting, probably including Frederic Leighton. The early part of 1882 appears to have been a busy period for ‘sittings’ for the painting.
The book ‘William Powell Frith: Painting the Victorian Age’ (Mark Bills, Vivien Knight, 2007) (part available online) gives more useful information to help establish the date of the letter. Page 23- “But eventually she (Mary Alford) and the children did move into Pembridge Villas, and Frith’s unmarried daughters moved out. Agnes Alford was married from Pembridge Villas in 1882.” This took place in Q3 1882 (Jul/Aug/Sep), according to BMD records. It is likely that the unmarried Frith sisters (‘Misses Frith’) Louisa and Fanny moved out of Pembridge Villas and their father’s household before then, Again, more evidence that the letter to Miss Frith regarding Leighton’s visit and “The Private View”, hosted by Miss Frith, was likely written in the first half/second quarter of 1882 (but after 15 March 1882).
Page 1 of Letter from Lord Frederic Leighton to Miss Frith, Spring 1882, referring to 'A Private View at the Royal Academy'
Pages 2 and 3 of Letter from Lord Frederic Leighton to Miss Frith, Spring 1882, referring to 'A Private View at the Royal Academy'
Another of Frith’s daughters, Jane Ellen, gives background and insight into the Frith siblings’ family life, particularly at Pembridge Villas, in her book ‘Leaves from a Life’ where they lived from 1852/53 to the 1880s. Regarding the period of interest (later years), she writes (page 127) “…and the next few years saw first the death of my brother (William Powell Frith 1847-1875); a marriage in the family none of us could bear; the death of my mother (1880); and the final crumble and fall of our once happy and distinguished household. The house itself did not pass from my father’s possession for some few years afterwards, but all the home atmosphere was gone, another evil influence came into force; my unmarried sisters started in a home of their own; and bit by bit the old life faded….” This would have been a reference to her father marrying his long-term mistress Mary Alford on 30 January 1881, about a year after the death of his first wife Isabelle, the Frith siblings’ mother, in January 1880.
This concurs with the census records researched, with the April 1881 census showing the two unmarried Frith sisters Louisa and Fanny as the senior female members of the household and still in Pembridge Villas (Mary Alford, although recently married to Frith kept her own establishment for a while), and the sisters had their own household by the 1891 census. W P Frith gave up Pembridge Villas in 1888, and in 1891 was living elsewhere in Dulwich/Camberwell with his second wife Mary and several of their children, who were all born from 1856 onwards while he was still married to Isabelle; his ‘second family’. On a happier note, she records (page 124) that “Sir Frederic Leighton used to come to Pembridge Villas in quite early days, and we girls one and all respectfully worshipped him, and to us, at any rate, he was known as “Cupid.”!
The two Frith sisters Louisa and Fanny remained spinsters all their lives and lived together until their deaths in 1931 and 1932; they were often referred to as the 'Misses Frith'. In the 1891, 1901 and 1911 census' they have their own household at 10 Pelham Crescent, Chelsea/Kensington and their occupations were listed as 'Decorators', also furnishers. London Street directories up to 1930 list their business premises as 18 Fulham Road, Kensington 'Mary Louise & Fanny Mary ('Misses Frith'). 'Decorators' sounds rather prosaic these days, I would think they were upmarket interior designers. They had several servants in their household, and the probate of Mary Louisa went to Sir Godfrey John Vignoles, baronet, and referred to both addresses/properties, so it is unlikely they were actually painting and decorating as we know it today.
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Poetry- also a form of art to research! The mystery of who hand-wrote David Holt's poem 'At the Grave of Wordsworth' and the accompanying note presented to Mary Wordsworth at Rydal Mount in 1852.
David Holt (1828-1880), a published poet, was a first cousin of Joseph Austin Benwell, and another grandson of John Benwell of Sidcot. He was my first cousin five times removed- see Family History page. Holt was inspired by the great romantic poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850). Not long after Wordsworth’s death, he wrote a poem "At the Grave of Wordsworth" (In Grasmere Churchyard), which was published in 1853 in his book “Janus, Lake Sonnets etc., and other poems.”
Oh better far than richly sculptur'd tomb,
Oh fitter far than monumental pile
Of storied marble in cathedral aisle,
Is this low grassy grave, bright with the bloom
Of nature, and laid open to the smile
Of the blue heaven- this stone that tells to whom
The spot is dedicate, who rests beneath
In this God's acre, this fair field of death ;
Oh meet it is, great Bard, that in the breast
Of this sweet vale, and 'neath the guardian hills
By thee so loved, thy venerated dust
Should lie in peace ; and it is meet and just
That evermore around thy place of rest
Should rise the murmur of the mountain rills.
II
To this calm spot the pilgrim in far years,
Led by the reverence in his soul, shall come,
And as he gazes on this grassy tomb,
His thoughtful eyes shall be suffused with tears,
But not with tears of sorrow: there is nought,
In this fair scene, that speaks of grief or gloom,
Not one incentive to despondent thought.
Pensive, not sad, shall be the pilgrim’s heart,
Subdued, not sorrowful, his soul shall be,
As standing by this Grave he thinks of Thee,
And how that thy long life’s great work was wrought
Full out, and how its immortality
Is fix’d as firmly and as sure as aught
That men deem lasting – mountain, star, or sea.
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The lines in the second verse "To this calm spot the pilgrim in far years, Led by the reverence in his soul, shall come...." I feel is quite prophetic. About 175 years ago, young David Holt was predicting that pilgrims (or tourists or admirers of Wordsworth) would visit his home and grave “in far Years”, and of course that is so true today, all these years later.
In 2021 we visited Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum in Grasmere. After our visit, the Assistant Curator contacted me to say they had discovered a handwritten version of the poem, which was sent to Mary Wordsworth at Rydal Mount on 10 September 1852. They do not know who wrote out the poem (there is no name on the paper), but it was addressed from White Moss Cottage, Rydal Lake. This was before the poem was published in book form in 1853.
I thought t would be interesting to find out who hand-wrote it. I checked online records to see if White Moss Cottage is recorded in the 1851 census, which should give a clue as to who was living there at the time, although it could have been written by a visitor. I did read that Wordsworth purchased a property called White Moss House for his son, William junior (b. 1810). I'm not sure if this was one and the same as the White Moss Cottage referred to, or at least it must have been very close by. William junior is listed in the UK Poll Books/ Electoral register of 1832 as being the owner of freehold houses (plural) and land at White Moss, although he was resident in Carlisle at that date and also in the 1841 and 1851 census (presumably for work purposes), so it is not clear how much time he spent there.
Shortly afterwards, I was contacted again by the Museum to say they had found a note with the hand-written poem: “The enclosed lines, written on the occasion, the genuine effusion of a young lady, a great admirer of Wordsworth’s writings. A visitor in this lovely locality and a near relation of the author, imagining it would be gratifying to the widow of so illustrious a man to peruse them, trusts it will not be considered intrusive in her enclosing a copy. White Moss Cottage, Rydal Lake, Sept. 10, 1852.” So it seems that although the poem was not sent by David Holt, it was from a young female relation of his. The handwriting of the two notes appear different – this could suggest that the young lady had brought the copy of the poem with her (having been written out by someone else), and then herself wrote the note to go with them to send to Mary Wordsworth, or that the young lady wrote out the poems herself and someone else wrote the attached note.
I replied: “How fascinating to find out that the writer of the note was actually a young female relative of David Holt. He married in August 1853 (age 24, after he wrote the poem), and the writer could be a young female cousin or other relative maybe born round about 1830 or so. I will have a look at the family tree to see if I can identify any likely candidates! She seems like a very thoughtful young lady, and you can imagine her making the journey to White Moss Cottage, writing out the note or the poem, and thinking about whether Mary Wordsworth would like the poem and take comfort from it.”
Although an initial perusal did not identify any obvious candidates for who wrote the note and the hand-written poem, this is a topic that needs more research.
Image of the hand-written note sent to Wordsworth's widow Mary in 1852 (with thanks to the Wordsworth Museum in Grasmere)
This small unframed painting (watercolour and pencil) also came from the collection of 19th century watercolours, mainly comprising small paintings by George Cumberland (1754-1848), but this one is later. It depicts a wooden building with porch, other buildings to the left, some sort of bucket and pivot system in the field behind. It measures 6 x 9 inches. The date is also inscribed on the front, lower right. I researched it, and it seems that the scene depicted is in Finland.
Inscribed in pencil verso is "Post House at Hern_fa__*, 3rd station, the first at which we stopped, ____ road from Idensalmi (?) to Kayana. July 10 1894". These seem to relate to place names in Finland (or older versions of the place names). Idensalmi is now Iisalmi (Idensalmi was the Swedish word), and Kayana is Kajaani or Kajana - there is a road between these two towns shown on the map of Finland.
The artist is unknown, but the wording used implies the artist could have been on some sort of tour or pilgrimage (3rd Station- of the Cross?). However, a Finnish correspondent on eBay said pilgrimage does not seem likely as Finland is not a Catholic country. Perhaps Hernejärvi was the third mail (post) stop on the scheduled route from Iisalmi to Kajaani. However, the official mail stop of Hernejärvi was established on 1 March 1912 - almost 20 years later than the painting. Also the railway network reached Iisalmi in 1902 and Kajaani in 1904-1905, so the artist would have been travelling by other means in 1894.
*Hernejärvi - according to a Finnish correspondent on eBay.
I am pleased to say the little watercolour sold on eBay and was duly posted to Finland.
'Le Marché aux Fleurs à Menton' by Christiane Korochansky
The Stehli brothers (1902-1995) were important printers of art books and fine art prints, using continuous tone colour lithography on high quality heavy paper stock. This is one of my favourite prints. I haven't seen online any other copies or the original, but would be interested to find out how many were made or are still in circulation. Christiane has been described as a post-impressionist artist, and was the daughter of Michel Korochansky(1866–1925), a Ukrainian naturalized French painter and illustrator.
In March 2024 I visited some of the sites in Egypt painted by my 3xgt granduncle Joseph Austin Benwell. For more information, please refer to the page: Egypt- Following in Benwell's Footsteps 2024.
My 'family history' page includes research I have done into some of Benwell's relatives. Of particular interest is his brother, John Benwell (1814-1863) who I believe to be the author of 'An Englishman's Travels in America: his observations of Life and Manners in the Free and Slave States', published in 1853 by Binns and Goodwin of Fleet Street. Please refer to Benwell's Family History.
Material researched and written by Dee Murray(Deirdre Murray). Website compiled by Dee Murray. All rights reserved.
All images on this website are either scanned or photographed from the author’s own resources, appear with permission of owners/copyright holders, or are in the public domain in digital format via websites such as HathiTrust, Openlibrary.org, the Internet Archive (archive.org) or Google Books.