Edward William Cooke RA (1811-1880) - Dartmouth

This detailed pencil study by Cooke depicts the harbour of Dartmouth in the 19th century. A recent sale at the auction house Rosebery's of the collection of Sir Nicholas Goodison and Michael Sim (20/7/22, lot 8) had a very similar work by Cooke which is inscribed 'Dartmouth' by the artist and helps to confirm the location.
 
The artist would always take a sketchbook with him and his drawings are often highly finished. This work was recently sold at Bonhams and is an excellent example of Cooke's skill with a pencil.
 
Medium: pencil on paper from Cooke's sketchbook, 9.7 x 16.8 cm, framed.
 
Provenance: Bonhams Marine Sale, 17/10/2018, lot 13, sold as a pair for £1,125; Private collection, England.
 
Condition report: generally very good. There is some small amounts of time staining and foxing marks which would be expected for a drawing of its age.