This splendid late-19th-century oil painting by British artist Alfred de Breanski RBA (1852-1928) depicts a view of the Lledr Valley in Snowdonia, north Wales. De Breanski was a celebrated painter of landscapes and one of the finest proponents of naturalism.

Lit by the placid reddish tones of the imperious golden hour, the brutish planes of towering scenery are tamed. In the foreground, the broad Lledr dashes over moss-covered stones - ripples elevated with rapid flickers of white highlighting. It’s a majestic scene, a juxtaposition of the cool waterway and the warm surface of the valley.

Born in London, de Breanski’s father, Antoni Leopold, was Polish, hailing from the village of Baranów. He’d arrived in the United Kingdom from Ostend, Belgium, as a military refugee, with his wife Jeanne Henriette De Breanski, who was French. They settled in London and Alfred de Breanski was one of six children, of which three became artists.

As a boy, he developed a keen ability for drawing, winning various prizes at the Greenwich Proprietary School, along with noteworthy plaudits from the local press. One reporter praising “his fine subdued tone and harmonious colouring” and stating that “these paintings would entitle them to a place in any gallery where the best works of art are hung upon the walls.”

At 17, he debuted at the Royal Society of British Artists and three years later graced the hallowed walls of the prestigious Royal Academy. Already, he’d developed a signature style and soon became known for his misty upland views often quietened by a restful mood.

Drawn to the undulating landscapes of north Wales, he undertook numerous sketching tours for inspiration, along with visits to the highlands of Scotland. On one of his Welsh tours, he met the artist Annie Roberts (1855-1946), and the pair would eventually wed in the picturesque Llantysilio Parish in Denbighshire.

By 1880, he was considered as one of the foremost landscape painters of his generation and referred to in the same breath as the eminent Benjamin Williams Leader (1831-1923). Following an exhibition, one critic described him as “following fast upon his footsteps”.

De Breakski’s version of British naturalism coupled with a fair degree of rose-tinted idealisation became exceedingly popular with the general public. Viewers were captivated by vistas they could relate to, which were beautifully poised amid flattering light.

In 1890, he was elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists, while also gaining a significant commission from Frost & Reed, an art dealership in London. This famous old gallery arranged an extensive exhibition of his canvases, of which all were sold. They requested another 30 or so the following year. The critics were in raptures:

“The present display gives the result of sketching during the past summer in the lake districts of England, Scotland, and Wales, and throughout romantic parts of the Thames valley; and the many admirers of the artist's agreeable style will be delighted to inspect a score of frames most of which evince his pleasant mannerism.”

However, faced with an abundance of work, during this period he was also criticised occasionally for the similarity of his views. It would've been an extraordinarily challenging time, having to satisfy demand while also finding space to study from nature.

His style remained consistent for the remainder of his career and, with the advent of emerging ‘modern’ styles, he gradually faded from the public eye. Today, he’s recognised as one of Britain’s most celebrated landscape painters with several of his works reaching over £50,000 at auction.

Signed/dated in the lower left and housed within a later frame.

Learn more about Alfred de Breanski RBA in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 29½” x 21½” / 75cm x 55cm
Year of creation: 1882 
Labels & Inscriptions: Titled on the reverse.
Provenance: Private collection, UK.
Condition: Cleaned. Revarnished. Canvas relined. Fine craquelure throughout. The paint layer is stable. Frame in good condition with minor age-related wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £77,000 for ‘Western Hebrides’, Oil on canvas, Sotheby’s, Scottish and Sporting Pictures and Sculpture, Perthshire, 1997 (lot 1195).
Our reference: BRV1980