Quarry painting appeal

Aim

This striking water colour by William Crotch of a house in Headington Quarry has come on the market. We wish to buy it for the community.

Friends of Quarry is the residents' group of Headington Quarry, Oxford. This water colour by William Crotch of a house in Headington Quarry has recently come on the market. It is inscribed and signed on the back in the artist’s hand stating it was painted at 7pm on 4 August 1800. 

Because this painting has historical significance for the residents of Quarry, Friends of Quarry is organising a ‘crowd fund’ to raise the money to buy it. It will then be displayed in a public place for all to enjoy (location to be decided).

Note about the artist:

Dr William Crotch was famous as a musician and as the first Principal of the Royal Academy of Music. He was appointed organist of Christ Church Oxford in 1790 and became Professor of Music at Oxford in 1797. Crotch Crescent in Marston is named after him.

At Oxford, William Crotch became acquainted with the artist, musician and folksong collector John Malchair (1730-1812) who was one of 18th century Britain’s most influential drawing-masters. Crotch followed Malchair's practice of recording the exact time and date when pictures were painted. Shortly after moving to London in 1805, Crotch became friends with John Constable (1776-1837). It is highly likely that Constable began his custom of inscribing sketches with the times and dates of their creation through following Crotch’s example.

This project successfully funded on 14th December 2023