Thomas Whittle The Younger, The Old Watermill, Trefriar, Wales

A charming 19th-century oil on canvas depicting an old watermill tucked away within a valley in North Wales. You can almost hear the gushing water as it rushes across ancient stones.

This skilful piece by Thomas Whittle The Younger (1803-1887) embeds the mill within its surrounding environment. There’s very little difference between the structure of the building and the landscape beyond. This merging of industry and nature is possibly a commentary on a society that was becoming ever-more industrialised. Man seeks to dominate - yet man cannot survive without nature. The best outcome is harmony.

The painting is signed/dated in the lower right, inscribed on the reverse, and housed within a gilt frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 24” x 29” / 61cm x 73cm
Year of creation: 1876
Provenance: England
Condition: Overall very presentable. Canvas relined. Frame with some light age-related wear.
Artist’s Auction Highlight: £2,681 achieved for ‘Still Life with fruits and flowers’ at an auction in 2017.

Conservation & History

We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also often restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.

Thomas Whittle The Younger, The Old Watermill, Trefriar, Wales

Thomas Whittle The Younger, The Old Watermill, Trefriar, Wales

Conservation & History

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