James Fowler, Surgeon F.S.A

“ One can hardly have a prettier picture than the return of the young artist to the continent, in the autumn of 1836, with his little wife through France, down the Rhone, with vine‐covered mountains on either side to Avignon – one of the most picturesque old cities in the world – and then to Florence; walking about the cathedral and picture galleries, or studying in the Riccardi Palace, renowned for it’s splendid frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli; or making his celebrated study of the Campanili Giotto – a drawing almost never surpassed for fidelity and beauty. ”

“ It was felt that no one had ever more felicitously combined the discriminating love and veneration of the true antiquary with the thorough insight and mastery of a great artist, than Mr. Cromek. Or as Mr Clarkson Stansfield used to say; ‘Finer transcripts of nature were made’. Lord Francis Egerton, on one occasion, went even further than this: ’Mr Cromek’s drawings were, he said, in his judgement, unsurpassable for truth and beauty. ”

“ The fatal step of his life was his fearing to venture in London and coming to live at Wakefield in 1851, instead of returning to Rome or Florence. As the Duke of Northumberland asked him in 1855:’Where have you been hiding yourself and all these beautiful drawings, Mr. Cromek?’Whilst he was hidden here the stream of favour glided past, and left him standing helpless and alone. It would ill become an amateur to pretend to criticise Mr Cromek as an artist. A man should himself be at least something of an artist before he judges one. ”