Edward William Cooke (1811-1880) - A view of the West Cliff at Etretat, France
Cooke visited Etretat in Normandy in 1878 on a painting holiday, a place he had fond memories of from a visit years before. He was there for over a month from the 11th September until the 16th October. His visit resulted in 'one Academy picture for the following year, Falaises en amont d'Etretat, one of his last group, and a number of others which were in his sale. The distinctive stretch of coast with its chalk cliffs, differing only in aspect from the English side of the Channel, had featured in earlier paintings. The fishing canots and their gear, the beach capstans, floats and caloges, old boats roofed over for stores, were unfamiliar and of different construction and therefore worthy of recording. Gustave Courbet had found the geology and the fishing scene sympathetic some ten years earlier and the chalk cliffs were painted from 1868 by the Impressionist Claude Monet as well. For Cooke the beached boats and the capstans, as well as the catches destined for the Paris market, were the chief source of attraction, although he was keen to make studies of the geological features as well.' [1]
Munday included extracts from Cooke's diary and fortunately the artist wrote a lot about his time in Etretat. [2] He mentions Mary or 'M' at various points, which likely was his sister, who helped him in his studio. She accompanied Cooke on various sketching trips. Writing on the 3rd October Cooke begins 'After Bk got Camera [lucida] sk. of the W, Cliff from Malm rock. After Dejeuner painted from balcony - E. Cliff & then on Foreground & boats from beach. Mary read & walked with Mme Vatinel. A vast lot of fish sent to Paris. Cool eveng. after a lovely day...' [3]
Our painting could certainly have been painted by a camera lucida that Cooke mentions and the artist showed a great interest in the geology of the local landscape. The canots recorded on the left are finely detailed along with the baskets and fishermen on the shore. It was view Cooke certainly enjoyed. There are 16 oil paintings of Etretat listed in Munday's catalogue raisonné painted in 1878. Through picture sizes and the title descriptions this leaves a couple of options for our painting. Etretat is famous for its geology and chalk cliffs along with three sets of arches. Our picture depicts the 'La Falaise d'Amont' which further helps to link our picture. The options include 78/6 'West Cliff', 78/13 'Malm rocks and green downs above' or 78/17 'Malm rock with brick arch'. Cooke's use of Malm is a little unclear which makes it difficult to know which picture it is with certainty. There is a large area of grass above the chalk cliffs on the left which may link to 78/13 but we think it probably is 78/6. Our work was sold in Cooke's studio sale in May 1880 along with five of the other depictions of Etretat from sketching holiday in 1878. Interestinly, the painting 'East Cliff, Etretat' was also sold in 1880 and then again in 1910 at the same Christie's sales our picture was sold at. This suggests they were in the same collection from 1880 to 1910 with Robt. Hannah.
Medium: oil-on-canvas, signed l.r. 'E.W.C.', 27.5 x 38cm, framed. The frame measures 52 x 60cm and has the inscription on the front 'E.W. Cooke R.A'.
Provenance: Edward William Cooke's studio sale, Christie's, 22 May, 1880 (stencil '347L'); Anonymous sale, Christie's, 4 April 1910 (stencil '274BR'); Anonymous sale, Bonhams, 1st November 2001, lot 97 (sold as 'A beach scene, Etretat); Private collection U.K.
Condition report: the painting is in good overall condition. It could do with a light clean and some small touching up by a restorer. There is a small amount of craquelure (see photographs), this is on the cliff face around the centre of the picture, here the paint is stable but has lifted slightly. In the top right hand-corner there is a small amount of paint lose as shown in photos. There are losses to the frame throughout but is very likely the original frame that Cooke used for the painting.
Literature:
[1] John Munday, 'E.W. Cooke 1811-1880: A Man of his Time', Antique Collectors' Club Ltd.: Woodbridge, 1996, p.241.
[2] Ibid., pp. 311-312.
[3] Ibid., p.311.
Our painting is very likely referenced in Munday's catalogue of oil paintings for France as 78/6 as 'West Cliff', see p.328. It does not have the size, collection or sales information linked to it but catalogue number 78/10 titled 'East Cliff, Etretat' is similar in every respect. The painting is the same size as our work and was in the same Christie's sales in 1880 and 1910. Munday has included a photograph of the 78/10 painting and it clearly shows the other end of the beach at Etretat.