Artwork
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford 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
Overview
Worcester College, Oxford is a watercolour painting created by Walter Bayes in 1940. It depicts a scene of everyday life in Oxford, with a large historic building and people going about their daily activities.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows Worcester College, with its buildings surrounded by foliage, and captures a moment in time with cyclists and pedestrians in the foreground. It documents a scene of British life during the Second World War as part of the Recording Britain project.
Technique & Style
The watercolour is executed in loose, quick brushstrokes, conveying a sense of light and movement. The colours used are soft and warm, with a predominance of purple and yellow hues that blend together to create a lively, sketchy feel.
History & Provenance
The painting was commissioned by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime, funded by the Pilgrim Trust and directed by Sir Kenneth Clark, as part of an effort to preserve a visual record of British life and landscape during wartime.
Context
The work reflects the focus of the Recording Britain project on documenting English architectural and rural subjects, and was created to sustain traditional artistic practices during the Second World War.
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.
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