Artwork
Colts on Lexden Hill
Colts on Lexden Hill is a watercolor work on paper by Walter Bayes. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This watercolor shows a quiet landscape from Lexden Hill near Colchester. Walter Bayes painted it around 1940. It’s a gentle scene, nothing dramatic.
What’s odd is this small village had drawn artists for decades, yet Bayes’ piece is the only Lexden view in the big Recording Britain collection.
Look up the artist Walter Bayes to see more of his work.
Overview
Walter Bayes's 'Colts on Lexden Hill' is a serene watercolour landscape depicting a tranquil scene near Colchester, created circa 1940.
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures a peaceful moment on Lexden Hill, featuring colts in a gentle, undramatic setting, reflecting the area's enduring appeal to artists.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolour, the work showcases Bayes's skill in conveying subtlety and calmness through the medium.
History & Provenance
Notably, despite Lexden's long history of attracting artists, this piece is the sole representation of the location in the Recording Britain collection's Essex holdings.
Context
Part of the Recording Britain scheme, the artwork was created during a period when artists were documenting the British landscape, often in response to the wartime threat to the nation's heritage.
Artist & collection
Artist
Walter John Bayes was an English painter and illustrator who was a founder member of both the Camden Town Group and the London Group and also a renowned art teacher and critic.
