Francis Towne: ‘the Rose in the Wilderness’ Death and resurrection Light, time, legacy pray remember this & be no longer like the Rose Yet his bequest played a belated but pivotal role in the Wilderness – that blooms to fade unseen in establishing Towne as one of his era’s greatest Francis Towne’s & wastes its sweetness in the Desart Air.’ artists. Early in the 20th century a group of scholars began to re-evaluate their inherited views of watercolours Towne’s Exeter circle begrudged London’s cultural 18th-century watercolours, and their study of the dominance. They espoused a value system based on British Museum’s portfolios of Towne’s elegant works of Rome the ancient classical ideal of ‘retirement’, shunning helped to overturn the Victorian consensus. As the what they saw as the vanity, greed and duplicity of collector Paul Oppé (1878–1957) put it: ‘To those the modern city in favour of a more contemplative, who are bound to an old fashioned conception of plain and virtuous mode of living. Towne himself an English water colour school which is divided into Fig 8: Fig 10: John Downman pursued a frugal and highly industrious life. In a a grey period before Girtin & Turner & a blaze of Francis Towne, (1750–1824), 1781 sonnet praising his close friend (and eventual Arricia. 11 July colour afterwards, Towne’s Roman Drawings are a Study for a portrait 1781. Watercolour of Mr Francis executor) James White, London was the ‘vile capital... disconcerting anomaly, far better left in the obscurity with pen and ink. Towne of Exeter, Profit its only aim, or short-lived fame’. By contrast of the British Museum portfolios.’ Modernist taste of Landscape Painter. 1795. Charcoal, Exeter was a refuge for ‘insulted taste’, in the ‘distant Towne considered his Roman drawings to be the the 1920s and 1930s embraced the flat planes and touched with provinces, where nature still/Resides, where virtue prime examples of his artistic abilities, and he spare, angular design of drawings like Arricia (fig 10), red chalk and heightened for protection flies.’ Sharing this antipathy, after bequeathed them to the British Museum in a final and Towne was feted as a pioneer. At the same time, with white. returning from the continent in 1781 it was not until attempt to secure his reputation, posthumously. a large collection of his drawings became available 1788 that Towne began a 15-year campaign for But while the gift was received politely (with a further for sale, and by the 1950s Towne’s work was widely Towne was baptised in 1739 at Isleworth in election to the Royal Academy. Receiving the news donation from James White arriving in 1818), for represented in museum and private collections Middlesex, and began his working life in London of his final defeat in 1803, Towne protested: ‘you a century it sat quietly on the print room shelves. across the UK and America. Towne was at last as a coach painter. However, by the mid-1760s he must give up calling me a provincial Drawing Master. 18th-century watercolours were little esteemed by the recognised as a figure worthy of attention. had moved to Exeter in the south-west of England, I never meant nor intended to go through life but Victorians, who considered them timid and colourless where he developed a successful career as a drawing professing myself a Landscape Painter.’ preludes to their own ‘paintings in watercolour’ whose Richard Stephens master and local landscape painter. During the palette and effects sought to rival oils. Towne himself summer months Towne often undertook sketching While London success eluded Towne, in the 1790s had found no place in art historical accounts and tours, notably to north Wales in 1777 and the Lake the work of his pupil John White Abbott (fig 9) by the early 1900s his obscurity was complete. District in 1786. In the summer of 1780 he undertook was celebrated by critics there as a ‘chaste’ and the great journey of his life, to Italy, and returned unmannered alternative to the gaudy landscapes via the Alps the following year. typically feted at the Academy. Abbott wrote disdainfully from Exeter that: ‘the modesty of Nature Explore online Exhibition events Next in Room 90 Over four decades, Exeter gave Towne affluence, would cut as poor a figure in an [Academy] Exhibition All of the works reproduced Decline and fall: The selective eye: Between 8 Sep 2016 and but London repeatedly denied him recognition. as the cardinal virtues at a Rout or Ball.’ here are from the British Francis Towne and Francis Towne’s 29 Jan 2017 there will be While Towne was always a regular visitor and moved Museum’s Department the ruins of Rome watercolours of Rome two displays on in Room 90 there permanently in his final decade, the capital’s art In his final years Towne became financially of Prints and Drawings. Tue 26 Jan, 13.15, Room 90 Thu 21 Apr, 13.15, Room 90 – Touch: works on paper establishment could not readily accept his claims to be independent and, having dispensed with the Information about them and A gallery talk by Exhibition A gallery talk by art historian by Maggi Hambling and a proper landscape painter, since he made his living Academy, made efforts to secure his artistic legacy about all the works in Towne’s Curator Richard Stephens. and curator Anne Lyles. The French portrait 1500– bequest is available at Free, just drop in Free, just drop in 1900: Clouet to Courbet. Fig 1: teaching drawing to genteel amateurs in a distant by his own means. In 1805 he organised an exhibition Francis Towne, provincial city. His neglect of London’s Royal of his life’s work, where his sketches of Rome were britishmuseum.org/collection A Ruin on the Academy earned a well-intentioned rebuke from his the centrepiece. These he bequeathed to the Curator’s introduction Magick land? Fund for the Future Road to the Ponte Fri 5 Feb, 13.30, Francis Towne and Nomentana. friend Richard Cosway in 1779: ‘The more excellent British Museum in 1816. Catalogue raisonné 12 December his response to Rome a man’s works are the more they ought to be seen... BP Lecture Theatre Legacies from generous 1780, 2–4pm. In 2016 the Paul Mellon Exhibition Curator Richard Fri 6 May, 13.15, Room 90 individuals remain as Watercolour with pen and ink. Centre for Studies in Stephens gives a 45-minute A gallery talk by important as ever in British Art will publish illustrated introduction to Jonny Yarker, Director strengthening the future a free online catalogue the exhibition. of Lowell Libson Ltd. of the British Museum. The watercolours of Rome that Francis Towne watercolours to gain recognition in the London art raisonné of Towne’s work at Free, booking essential Free, just drop in By leaving a gift in your will (1739–1816) left to the British Museum in 1816 world. They formed the backbone of the retrospective francistowne.ac.uk, written to the Fund for the Future, played a pivotal role in his life, and are acknowledged solo exhibition he organised in 1805, with which by the guest curator of the Theory and practice Decline and fall: you can help us conserve to be among the great creative landmarks in the art of Towne brought to a close his career as a professional exhibition and author of this in Towne’s watercolours Francis Towne and the past for generations British watercolour. To mark 200 years since his death, exhibiting artist. When Towne bequeathed the leaflet Richard Stephens. of Rome the ruins of Rome to come. If you would Towne’s bequest is being displayed in its entirety for Roman views to the British Museum in 1816, they Fri 19 Feb, 13.15, Room 90 Wed 15 Jun, 13.15, like more information, the first time. also became his permanent public legacy. While A gallery talk by Timothy Room 90 email legacymanager@ these efforts did not bear fruit during his lifetime, Wilcox, independent scholar. A gallery talk by Exhibition britishmuseum.org The study tour that Francis Towne undertook to Italy early in the 20th century the attention the bequest Free, just drop in Curator Richard Stephens. or call 020 7323 8421. in 1780–1781 was the greatest event of his artistic received from connoisseurs who were reassessing Free, just drop in life, and yielded some of the most arresting images 18th-century art stimulated interest in Towne among of the Grand Tour tradition. Of the more than 200 museums and collectors, and laid the foundations Fig 9: John White Abbott works now identifiable from the trip, Towne himself for his revival. (1763–1851), The The British Museum cherished above all his series of 54 views of Rome, Quarry, Peamore, Leaflet supported by Devon, 1796. Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG which illustrate with rare clarity and elegance the Watercolour with Tottenham Court Road, Holborn widespread belief that the downfall of ancient Rome pen and ink over faint graphite britishmuseum.org contained important lessons for the contemporary sketch. © The Trustees of the British Museum 12/2015 All information correct at time of print. world. Back in England, Towne used these FT Leaflet [REVISED].indd 1-3 08/12/2015 10:08 ‘He applies to his art with great industry’: Towne in Rome Decline and fall essays and drawings. Towne’s major patron of the As a working artist, Towne’s need to review and 1770s, Viscount Courtenay, was the region’s leader account for his use of time, so expressive of his of political opposition in the run-up to the bitter 1780 middle class provincial morality, fitted his public general election.