Le Havre – The Artists – Cotman, John Sell – Travel Information and Tips for France

This page forms part of a series of pages dedicated to the many artists who painted in Le Havre. A full list of all the artists with a link to their works can be found at the bottom of this page.

John Sell Cotman (1782 – 1842) was an English marine and landscape painter, etcher, illustrator, author and a leading member of the Norwich School of painters.

Born in Norwich, the son of a silk merchant and lace dealer, Cotman was educated at the Norwich Grammar School. He showed an early talent for art. It was intended that he followed his father into the family business but, intent on a career in art, he moved to London in 1798, where he met artists such as J. M. W. Turner, Peter de Wint and Thomas Girtin, whose sketching club he joined, and whom he travelled with to Wales and Surrey.

His sons Miles Edmund and John Joseph Cotman became notable painters in their own right.

In January 1834, Cotman was appointed Master of Landscape Drawing at King’s College School in London, partly on the recommendation of J. M. W. Turner. In 1836, his son Miles Edmund Cotman was appointed to assist him.

In 1834 his eldest son Miles Edmund remained in Norwich to work as an art teacher, when the rest of the Cotman family moved to London upon the appointment of John Sell Cotman as a Professor of Drawing at King’s College. A year after his move to London, Mile Edmund himself moved to London, becoming his father’s assistant after his brother John Joseph moved back to Norwich. His sons Miles Edmund and John Joseph Cotman later became painters of note. Miles Edmund succeeded his father as drawing master at King’s College in 1843.

Click here to read Cotman’s full bio on Wikipedia.

Click here to read his full bio on Wikipedia.

NOTE: Click on any image below for a bigger version (no new window will open).

NOTE: A blackbox like this one, means that there is an explanation text about today’s situation of the painting above it.
NOTE: Click on this photo icon anywhere below a painting to see a photo of what the area looks like today.

1817 John Cotman - Church of Graville near Havre de Grace, Normandy, End of the North Transept — 1817 John Cotman – Church of Graville near Havre de Grace, Normandy, End of the North Transept

NOTE: Graville is now a district of the city of Le Havre.

1818 John Cotman - North West View of the Tower of the Church of Graville, Near Havre de Grace — 1818 John Cotman – North West View of the Tower of the Church of Graville, Near Havre de Grace

1820 John Cotman - Church of Graville near Havre de Grace — 1820 John Cotman – Church of Graville near Havre de Grace

Lillebonne

Lillebonne is a city within the surroundings of Le Havre. It is located on the East of the harbour.

1822 John Cotman - Chateau de Lillebonne — 1822 John Cotman – Chateau de Lillebonne

1822 John Cotman - Round Tower, Castle of Lillebonne, Normandy — 1822 John Cotman – Round Tower, Castle of Lillebonne, Normandy

NOTE: Some parts of the old castle still remain.

???? John Cotman - Lillebonne, Normandy — ???? John Cotman – Lillebonne, Normandy

???? John Cotman - Lillebonne, Roman Remains — ???? John Cotman – Lillebonne, Roman Remains

NOTE: The Roman remains are still there to be admired. The Romans had made Lillebonne into a strong Roman presence.

???? John Cotman - Ruins of the Hall in the Castle of Lillebonne — ???? John Cotman – Ruins of the Hall in the Castle of Lillebonne

John Cotman painted in several places in Normandy (a link “⇠” to his works in a specific city will appear below when published) :

Hauts-de-France
- Peronne
Normandy
- Alencon
- Avranches
- Bayeux ⇠
- Caen (and surroundings)⇠
  - Douvres-la-Delivrande
  - Fontaine-Henri
  - Hermanville-sur-Mer
  - Ifs
  - Ouistreham
- Cherbourg ⇠
- Dieppe
- Domfront
- Evreux
- Falaise
- Fecamp
- Les Andelys
- Liseux
- Le Havre (and surroundings) ⇠
  - Lillebonne
- Mont Saint-Michel
- Mortain-Bocage
- Pont-de-l’Arche
- Rouen
- Saint Lo
- Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville
- Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue
- Valognes

Here are the painters/artists who painted in Le Havre:

Click here for a map listing all artists and where they painted in the Le Havre area.

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