Who painted Gunnersbury House, Brentford?

Gunnersbury House, Brentford was painted by Archibald Standish Hartrick in 1940.

Where can I see Gunnersbury House, Brentford?

Gunnersbury House, Brentford is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Gunnersbury House, Brentford?

Gunnersbury House, Brentford is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Gunnersbury House, Brentford

Archibald Standish Hartrick , 1940

Gunnersbury House, Brentford is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Archibald Standish Hartrick. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Gunnersbury House, Brentford is a 1940 watercolour by Archibald Standish Hartrick, created under the Recording Britain project to document Britain’s landscape and cultural identity during World War II.

Subject & Meaning

The painting captures a serene scene of Gunnersbury House set amidst a natural landscape, subtly conveying concerns over the potential loss of traditional British settings due to wartime threats and societal change.

Technique & Style

Hartrick employed watercolour to achieve a dreamy, ethereal effect, characterized by a soft hazy background, muted colours for the house, and prominent natural elements in the foreground.

History & Provenance

Commissioned by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime under Sir Kenneth Clark’s leadership, this work is part of a collection of over 1,500 pieces by 97 artists aiming to preserve traditional art and document vanishing landscapes.

Context

Created during WWII, the piece reflects wartime anxieties about bomb damage, invasion, and the erosion of Britain’s visual heritage, while also promoting the preservation of watercolour as a traditional art form.