John White Abbott (1763-1851)

Abbott is recorded as visiting Chudleigh on many occasions; a comparable but larger watercolour drawn at Chudleigh Rock and dated 'Augt. 14. 1792', was formerly owned by the Mount Trust and was sold in these Rooms, 14 November 1972, lot 97, as 'Chudleigh Rock', dated 'Augt. 14 1792'.

Chudleigh and its mills also caught the eye of fellow artist Francis Towne who painted 'A mill at Chudleigh' 1785, exhibited in Francis Towne and his Friends, John Spink at Colnaghi's, 10-25 November 2005, no. 4.

Abbott's early study of this small, insignificant corner of nature, executed in the 1790s, has few comparables and is remarkable in its freshness and originality.