This charming mid-19th-century oil painting by English artist Joseph Josiah Dodd (1809–1880) depicts a bride and her family approaching the grand entrance of Turton Tower in Lancashire. Painted in 1845, it shows the house shortly after its renovation and captures a poignant moment in its history.
The composition centres upon the forecourt, where several figures gather in a scene that feels both domestic and ceremonial. On the left, a gardener tends to his duties by the gate, underscoring the rhythms of estate life. In the middle ground, a gentleman on horseback, most plausibly the heir James Kay Junior, waits with composed intent, his presence signalling the importance of the visitors approaching. Beyond him, a trio stands facing the house: the future bride, Ann Dunn, accompanied perhaps by her parents, with her father sporting a fine top hat. To the right, a bonneted lady with a red shawl approaches them, adding a note of warmth and movement.
This confluence of figures suggests a narrative of connection - a moment when two families meet under the auspices of a renewed estate. The Tower itself stands calm and dignified, its gables, timbering, and mullioned windows rendered with affection. Beyond the gardens, the spire of St Anne’s Church rises above the landscape, a subtle hint at future plans.
The pair were married in 1847, closer to the bride’s home in Scarborough, yet it was commonplace to celebrate an engagement via a painting - a means of symbolising the joining of two families. One can imagine that James Kay Senior would have been only too keen to showcase his magnificent Tudor-Gothic residence for the occasion.
The artist, Joseph Josiah Dodd, working from nearby Manchester, was a keen topographical painter, and he handled the subject with dexterity.
Signed/dated in the lower right. Held in a 19th-century gilt composition frame with sweeping foliate scrolls and pierced corners and centres.
Learn more about Joseph Josiah Dodd in our directory.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 36” x 30½” / 92cm x 77cm
Year of creation: 1845
Labels & Inscriptions: Frost & Reed gallery label on the reverse, together with a second label.
Provenance: Private collection, UK.
Condition: Cleaned. Canvas relined. Craquelure throughout. The paint layer is stable. Minor previous restoration. Frame in good condition with light age-related wear.
Our reference: BRV2227
