(click image to enlarge)
Edward Dayes made a number of drawings of buildings in Suffolk during the late 1780s. The present work almost certainly depicts the highly distinctive church of St Andrew’s Covehithe, which stands vulnerably close to the eroding coastline between Southwold and Lowestoft. By the 1670s, the original large fourteenth-century structure was proving too expensive for the few parishioners to maintain; so they successfully sought permission to remove its roof and build a smaller church within it, incorporating its impressive tower in the process. Like Dayes, Cornelius Varley and John Cotman were also drawn to capture its picturesque qualities in watercolour (Norwich Castle Museum, 1781-83, and British Museum, 1804-5, respectively). However, Dayes’ image is distinct from theirs in employing a viewpoint from within the ivy-clad ruins and focussing closely on the east end of the rebuilt church. In so doing, it clearly shows a window that would be replaced in the nineteenth century.
8 & 10 Ryder Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6QB
gallery@chrisbeetles.com
020 7839 7551
© Chris Beetles Ltd 2024 | Accessibility | Privacy | Sitemap
