Very large - though not quite life-size - manuscript anatomical album containing twelve magnificent pencil anatomical drawings ‘from nature’ with the artist’s extensive handwritten descriptive text. Though best known for his later architectural and topographical watercolours, Cromek’s early anatomical work is well documented and when in 1827 he was commissioned by the Leeds surgeon Thomas Teale to produce detailed anatomical drawings these are the product of the commission. For Cromek’s patron, Thomas Teale, collections of detailed drawings of this kind formed an essential part of preparing medical students for cadaver dissection and standardising professional training.
The present album has extensive provenance: Cromek has added his own autograph inscription, dated Wakefield June 3rd 1859, in which he states that the drawings were made ‘from nature in 1828’ and submitted to the leading British surgeon Sir Astley Cooper, who praised them highly and wished Cromek to work for him as an anatomical draughtsman. A further letter from 26th October 1909 from Joseph Thomas Fowler of Bishop Hatfield’s Hall, Durham (Vice Principal of Hatfield’s Hall, Lecturer in Hebrew and Antiquary; notebooks held by Soc Antiquaries) explains that he inherited the drawings from his brother James Fowler who was Cromek’s physician in Wakefield, describing with some care the bound ‘set of drawings of the human skeleton’ and retelling the story of Sir Astley Cooper’s endorsement of the drawings, before offering the drawings to ‘the Library of the Coll. of Medicine’.
Thomas Hartley Cromek (1809-1873), son of Robert Hartley Cromek (known for his artistic dealings with William Blake) moved to Wakefield from London after his father’s early death where his own interest in art was fostered by James Hunter and Joseph Rhodes of Leeds. ODNB states that it was in 1827 that Thomas Teale of Leeds commissioned these drawings for which Cromek was paid 5 shillings. Cromek recalled in his Reminiscences (unpublished, private collection) that 'to the very minute attention which these drawings required I attribute careful and accurate drawings'. He subsequently made a career taking commissions from British Grand tourists in Florence and Rome, converting to Catholicism and dying in Wakefield in 1873.
INSTITUTIONAL HOLDINGS: University of Edinburgh has a collection of Cromek’s letters; Princeton has 9 volumes of papers relating to father and son.
DESCRIPTION: Early half-roan calf binding titled in gilt with textured cloth covered boards (51x34cm). Scuffing to roan and warped boards but the binding is very sound. Marbled endpapers, with Cromek’s long provenance inscription on the verso of the front flyleaf which coins the Astley Cooper story. Joseph Thomas Fowler’s letter mounted opposite. 122 leaves of pencil drawings, beginning with a full skeleton drawing; 4 leaves devoted to the skull, then backbone, then pelvis, hands and limbs, ending at the feet. To these drawings Cromek appends 9 leaves, written recto and verso of keyed descriptions of the drawings.
