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Francis Towne

Vale of St. John, Cumberland

Maker

Francis Towne (English, ca. 1740-1816)

Title

Vale of St. John, Cumberland

Year

1786

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

pen and ink, watercolor, graphite

Dimensions

15.6 x 23.6 cm (6 1/8 x 9 5/16 inches) (sheet)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

In ink, LL:N° 34/F. Towne delt(t superscribed) 1786 ; in pencil on verso, top:light from the right hand 3 0 Clock; in ink on verso:N° 34/In the Vale of St John August the 17th 1786 light from the right hand 3 OClock./F. Towne

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Anonymous gift

Object Number

69.154.1

Type

Publications

Exhibition History

Luminous Landscapes
British Watercolors from the Museum's Collection
May 27, 2005 – Aug 14, 2005

Label copy

Towne worked almost exclusively in watercolor, exhibiting his work only once in his lifetime and supporting himself as a drawing instructor. His works were rediscovered in the early 20th century, as their unique style of pen outline with flat washes appealed to modern taste. Inscriptions on some drawings, including one in RISD’s collection, indicate that he drew “on the Spot,” usually in graphite, adding watercolor and pen and ink later.

Selection II
British Watercolors and Drawings from the Museum's Collection
Apr 13, 1972 – May 14, 1972

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Francis Towne (English, ca. 1740-1816)
Vale of St. John, Cumberland, 1786
Pen and ink and watercolor over graphite on laid paper
15.6 x 23.6 cm (6 1/8 x 9 5/16 inches) (sheet)
Anonymous gift 69.154.1

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