Wooded landscape

He received artistic training from his friend Francis Towne, whose distinct drawing style can be seen in Abbott’s own watercolours: layers of monochrome washes with precise pen outlines. This style was particularly well-suited for topographical watercolours, which Abbott specialised in. He copied many of Towne’s Italian sceneries and made a sketching tour to Scotland and the Lake District in 1791, yet most of his landscapes depict his local Exeter region.

This work is typical of his dense woodland studies that often focus on visually interesting trees. The large tree on the right side of this watercolour, positioned on high ground in front of a valley and wooded hill, takes up almost half of the entire composition.

Further reading:

‘John White Abbott’ on Campbell Fine Art, https://www.campbell-fine-art.com/artists.php?id=306

Mallalieu, H.L. (1986), The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists up to 1920: Volume I – The Text, 2nd edition, Suffolk: Antique Collectors’ Club.