This charming mid-19th-century oil painting by British artist Edward Charles Williams (1807-1881) depicts a rugged view with figures, inn and church beyond. Williams was an accomplished landscape painter and member of the ‘Barnes School’.
Under the bough of a gnarled oak and leaning from atop a weary white horse, a rider halts to speak with two local villagers. Perhaps they’re discussing the standard of the local inn before deciding whether to spend the night. After all, this was 150 years before Tripadvisor and who knows what company they keep. Alongside them, two ducks navigate a flooded pond while a small dog waits patiently for the conversation to conclude.
Born in London, Edward Charles Williams was the son of ‘Old’ Williams, a landscape painter of repute. Trained by his father, his style during the early part of his career was remarkably similar. As a boy, he would’ve been taught the masterly ways of the esteemed Dutch landscape painters of the 17th century, such as Meindert Hobbema (1638-1709). The Dutch and Flemish painters of this period set the bar in terms of composition, chiaroscuro and colouring.
Like the Dutch painters before him, he often included taverns in his landscapes as these were a welcome retreat for those travelling on horseback. In his ‘The Old Roadside Inn’ from 1859, numerous figures congregate as their host brings refreshments. It’s a worthy celebration of the great British pub (just as important today as they’ve always been).
As his career progressed, his style adapted in line with current fashions and became more naturalistic. E.g. with more emphasis on studying from life and painting what he saw. But for us, it’s his older works that carry the most charm - an abundance of nostalgia for an idealised way of life.
Edward Charles Williams exhibited at the Royal Academy, British Institution and Royal Society of British Artists. He’s represented in numerous public collections including the Government Art Collection, Trinity College at the University of Cambridge, and Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
Monogrammed in the lower left and held in a later frame.
Learn more about Edward Charles Williams in our directory.
Medium: Oil on panel
Overall size: 24” x 20” / 61cm x 51cm
Year of creation: c. 1850
Labels & Inscriptions: New York gallery labels on reverse.
Provenance: With Newhouse Galleries, New York / Private collection, UK.
Condition: Cleaned. Repair to panel. Areas of fine and settled craquelure, as you would expect. The paint layer is stable. Frame in good condition with minor age-related wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £25,000 for ‘Punch and Judy/The Itinerant Musician’, Oil on canvas, Sotheby’s, Victorian & Edwardian Art, London, 2006 (lot 32).
Our reference: BRV1936
