Frederick Waters Watts (1800-1862)
| Artist Name | Frederick Waters Watts (1800-1862) |
|---|---|
| Title | View of Rouen with Pierre- Corneille Bridge and Cathedral |
| Description | This superb British Old Master landscape oil painting is by Frederick Waters Watts. Painted circa 1850 it is a view of Rouen, with the Pont Pierre-Corneille and the cathedral beyond. There are various figures in the foreground, fishing and setting up stalls beside the river bank. There are also boats of various description on the river. The painting is intersected by the Pierre Corneille bridge with its many arches and tall dwellings beyond. Rouen cathedral looms large and impressive beyond and above the houses with hills in the distance. It is a beautiful, peaceful view with lovely colour and detail and an excellent example of Watts’ work. The fluid brushwork is reminiscent and shows influence of Richard Parkes Bonnington. Unsigned. |
| Provenance | Christie's, London, Victorian Pictures, Drawings and Watercolours, 19 December 1991, lot 135; Export Fine Arts, London, where purchased by the present private collector, May 1994 |
| Medium | Oil on Canvas |
| Size | 32 x 24 inches |
| Frame | Housed in a gilt frame, 38 inches by 30 inches and in good condition. |
| Condition | Good condition. |
| Biography | Frederick William Watts' early years have always been something of a mystery. It is thought that he was born in Bath, 7th October 1800 and baptised the following year in St. Albans as William Watts. It is most probable he enrolled in the RA Schools in 1817 as William Watts subsequently changing his name to Frederick William Watts to avoid confusion with the landscape painter, William Watts (1752-1851). He was awarded Silver Medals at the RA School 1819-1821 and exhibited at the London Royal Academy from 1821 until 1862. Watts also exhibited at the British Institution, Suffolk Street Galleries and at the New Watercolour Society. Watts lived in Hampstead from 1821, where John Constable (1776-1837) also lived, and, some twenty-five years older, was to have a marked influence on Watts’s style. Although it is not known that they ever met, Watts would undoubtedly have been familiar with his work and Hampstead was a relatively small town. Watts painted landscapes throughout England and Wales, visiting north and south Wales, Derbyshire, Devon, Isle of Wight, Sussex and, of course, Suffolk and Essex. He painted many views around what is now north London and Middlesex and views on the Thames. Watts was highly successful in his portrayal of the English landscape and widely collected in his lifetime and throughout the twentieth century in Britain, Europe and North America. His work can be found in: London, Victoria and Albert Museum and The Tate. |
| Price | £6000 |
