This mid to late 19th-century oil painting by British artist James Edward Meadows (1828-1888) depicts a charming countryside scene with figures by a pond.

Amid the exponentially increasing pace of bustling Victorian life, Meadows delivered an idealised view of a land he treasured. A rural idyll illuminated by pockets of picturesque light. Where buoyant trees are rooted in the radiance of summer and harmonious clouds swell across a patchwork of hedgerows. Life was rosy for his ambling shepherds as they guided their flocks to verdant pasture.

His landscapes offered an escape, a welcome vignette of the English countryside, cherished by his patrons. And although they each represented a specific view, they were, in a sense, homogenised for overall aesthetic effect. In many ways, his compositions are reminiscent of some of the Dutch painters of the 17th century but with an added, somewhat intangible, layer of charm.

In 1854, at the age of 26, he debuted at the hallowed Royal Academy with views of Devon and Kent. And before long, he’d developed a solid reputation for his beautified depictions of the home counties and beyond. Oils were also shown at the British Institute, Royal Society of British Artists, and galleries in Liverpool and Manchester.

Here, in this piece from around 1870, a mother and son rest in the shade alongside a tranquil pond under a gentle summer sky. The mother holds a baby and wears a bonnet. Note the diagonal from right to left, which is achieved via the trees. And the brightly illuminated area above the figures, which draws the eye towards the distance.

Today, as we look back across Meadows’ extensive body of works, we’re again transported into a gentler vision of rural life. And, perhaps, much like the Victorians before us, the requirement to escape from modernity is equally salient.

Signed in the lower left and held within a gilt frame, which is probably original.

Learn more about James Edward Meadows in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 21½” x 17½” / 55cm x 45cm
Year of creation: c. 1870
Labels & Inscriptions: ‘Regilded By Pryor & Son’ (Windsor) label on the reverse.
Provenance: Private collection, Northamptonshire, England.
Condition: Assessed and approved by our conservator. Cleaned. Revarnished.
Artist’s auction maximum: £15,000 for ‘Fording The Stream’, Oil on canvas, Phillips, Early British And Victorian Paintings, London, 1997 (lot 106).
Our reference: BRV1836