Where in England?
October 11, 2010 10:42 AM Subscribe
Can anyone identify the location (presumably in England) of this watercolor painting by Alfred W. Rich?
Further info:
The painting is 13.5" x 10.5" and is signed "Alfred W. Rich 1894". Rich was a well-known watercolorist in his era and wrote a book called "Water Color Painting" which went through many printings. From what I can tell, he painted mainly in England, and mainly landscapes and townscapes. He very rarely painted people in his pictures, and in this particular one, you can see why. Even his cows and sheep in other pictures are not very good.
There is nothing written on the back of the sheet to identify the location. Possible clues are the places where he mentions going to do paintings in his book, which include: Sussex (Amberley, Mihurst), Kent, Warwickshire, Chipping Campden, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Winchester, Lincolnshire, Boston, Hertfordshire, Woodhall, Rickmansworth, Yorkshire (Richmond and Swaledale), Shropshire, Rye, Winchelsea, Chatham, London, Oxford, Gloucestershire. But then, the book was published first in 1918, so this painting was done 24 years earlier.
Further info:
The painting is 13.5" x 10.5" and is signed "Alfred W. Rich 1894". Rich was a well-known watercolorist in his era and wrote a book called "Water Color Painting" which went through many printings. From what I can tell, he painted mainly in England, and mainly landscapes and townscapes. He very rarely painted people in his pictures, and in this particular one, you can see why. Even his cows and sheep in other pictures are not very good.
There is nothing written on the back of the sheet to identify the location. Possible clues are the places where he mentions going to do paintings in his book, which include: Sussex (Amberley, Mihurst), Kent, Warwickshire, Chipping Campden, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Winchester, Lincolnshire, Boston, Hertfordshire, Woodhall, Rickmansworth, Yorkshire (Richmond and Swaledale), Shropshire, Rye, Winchelsea, Chatham, London, Oxford, Gloucestershire. But then, the book was published first in 1918, so this painting was done 24 years earlier.
Some clues/leads:
If the painting was 1894 then he might not have travelled too far from London (He was at the Slade from 1890 & had a studio in Croydon in 1896.) With him being born in Sussex (near Haywards Heath) Amberley & Midhurst could be candidates.
Amberley has more thatched & flint cottages whereas Midhurst has more timber frame houses like the painting. If you're really stuck, a 'drive' round Midhurst via Google Street View might help (although these days people are in the habit of painting the timbers black & the bricks white.)
Rye also has buildings like this although he would more likely have painted the sea there.
Def. not Chipping Campden – that's all built with Cotswold stone.
posted by i_cola at 5:13 PM on October 11, 2010
If the painting was 1894 then he might not have travelled too far from London (He was at the Slade from 1890 & had a studio in Croydon in 1896.) With him being born in Sussex (near Haywards Heath) Amberley & Midhurst could be candidates.
Amberley has more thatched & flint cottages whereas Midhurst has more timber frame houses like the painting. If you're really stuck, a 'drive' round Midhurst via Google Street View might help (although these days people are in the habit of painting the timbers black & the bricks white.)
Rye also has buildings like this although he would more likely have painted the sea there.
Def. not Chipping Campden – that's all built with Cotswold stone.
posted by i_cola at 5:13 PM on October 11, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks I_cola, Midhurst seems like a good candidate. Unfortunately Google Street Views just shows the main drag and not what appears to be the older neighborhood around Church Hill. But via Flickr search, there do seem to be some houses with those stepped stoops out front, as well as a lot of places with cantilevered upper stories. So, calling any Midhurstians!
posted by beagle at 5:29 AM on October 12, 2010
posted by beagle at 5:29 AM on October 12, 2010
You should be able to get Street View there if you zoom in. Here's the corner of Church Hill & Sheep Lane.
Of course the chances of those houses still being there might be a bit slim...
posted by i_cola at 8:53 AM on October 12, 2010
Of course the chances of those houses still being there might be a bit slim...
posted by i_cola at 8:53 AM on October 12, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
The National Gallery doesn't seem to have anything by Rich. He's listed among the artists included in the Tate's collections, but the search doesn't return any works by him. It might be worth writing to ask there, too, though. Try the Tate Britain 'information team'--contacts listed here.
posted by lapsangsouchong at 1:02 PM on October 11, 2010