Cornelius Varley

Cornelius Varley 1781–1873

T01711 West Humble Lane, Dorking 1806

Inscribed ‘West Humble lane Dorking Surry C Varley 1806’ below drawing, the date in pencil and the rest in ink.
Watercolour and pencil 8¿ x 13 5/16 (21.9 x 33.9) on paper 9¼ x 14 (23.5 x 35.6).
Purchased from P. & D. Colnaghi & Co. Ltd (Grant-in-Aid) 1973.
Coll: As T01710.
Exh: Colnaghi, February-March 1973 (37, repr.).

When he took up drawing and watercolour painting around 1800 Cornelius Varley studied informally with his brother John and with the collector, patron and amateur artist, Dr Thomas Munro. T01711 was probably made on an excursion from Dr Munro’s house at Fetcham, a few miles from West Humble. Cotman had also drawn at West Humble while staying with Dr Munro in 1799 or 1800 (S. Kitson, The Life of John Sell Cotman, 1937, pp.14–15) and a view from Polesden by John Varley, ‘Made in company with Dr Monro’ in 1800, is at the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne. Another watercolour made by Cornelius Varley at West Humble Lane was included in the exhibition referred to above (43).

Published in The Tate Gallery Report 1972–1974, London 1975.