Artwork
The Cricketers
The Cricketers is a watercolor work on paper by the Romanticist artist Peter De Wint. It dates from 1815 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The Cricketers is a watercolour painting created by Peter de Wint in 1815, capturing a serene English countryside scene.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a leisurely cricket match on Ockley Green, with Leith Hill in the background, conveying a sense of calm and tranquility through its peaceful atmosphere and relaxed figures.
Technique & Style
De Wint employed light, soft colors to evoke a hazy, peaceful mood, characteristic of his watercolour approach. Notably, an earlier, hidden watercolour was discovered beneath the surface during posthumous preparation for sale.
History & Provenance
Originally part of Richard Ellison’s collection of 100 British watercolours, The Cricketers was later donated to contribute to the founding of a national watercolour collection.
Context
Created in 1815, the work reflects the early 19th-century appreciation for idyllic rural scenes in British art, often capturing everyday leisure activities in picturesque landscapes.
Legacy
Now part of a national collection, The Cricketers remains accessible for public viewing, currently housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Artist & collection
Artist
Peter De Wint was a prolific English painter, mostly in landscape painting in oils and watercolour. A number of his pictures are in Tate Britain, the Victoria and Albert Museum and The Collection, Lincoln. He died in London.
