In Cotman's Footsteps

In Cotman’s Footsteps: An Exhibition of Water-Colour Paintings by Stephen Houseman (1936-2018) and of Etchings by John Sell Cotman (1782-1842).

This exhibition - which runs from Wednesday 14 December until Saturday 31 December in the Cathedral's Hostry - brings together for the first time the artist and philosopher Stephen Houseman and John Sell Cotman, the artist who inspired him more than any other.

Stephen Houseman first encountered Cotman’s watercolours as a schoolboy in London and became a lifelong admirer, responding especially to the watercolour paintings Cotman produced when he was still in his twenties. Houseman first exhibited his own paintings in 1969 at the Royal Watercolour Society in London. In 1971 he moved from London to Cotman’s ‘rare and beautiful Norfolk’, and lived in Cromer until his death in 2018. He fell in love with the Norfolk landscape, exploring and sketching the countryside, and exhibiting his work in Norwich and London. Houseman understood intuitively Cotman’s urge to simplify in the pursuit of a harmonious patterned composition. He would have been proud to be described as someone who followed in Cotman’s footsteps and helped to keep alive the Norfolk tradition of watercolour painting.

After his move Houseman also grew to admire the qualities of Cotman’s etchings, recognising that many of them were impressive works of art in their own right. On his death twenty-three etchings from his collection were presented in his memory to Norwich Castle. This included all those where the Museum’s only copies were to be found in the cumbersome original folio volumes.

A selection of Houseman’s watercolours and of Cotman’s etchings is being offered for sale in the exhibition.

The exhibition - which runs from Wednesday 14 December until Saturday 31 December - will be open seven days a week from 10am to 4pm (3pm on Sundays) and entry is free.

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Picture credits: Stephen Houseman, Norwich Cathedral, St Luke's Chapel, 1980 © The artist’s estate Stephen Houseman, Norwich, Colegate, 1980, watercolour on paper © The artist’s estate Stephen Houseman, Cromer, watercolour on paper © The artist’s estate Stephen Houseman, Breezy Walk, watercolour on paper © The artist’s estate John Sell Cotman, St Botolph’s Priory, Essex, 1811, etching on paper; image: Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery (Norfolk Museums Service)