Artwork
St.Fagans, Glamorganshire
St.Fagans, Glamorganshire is a watercolor work on paper by H. E. Du Plessis. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This 1940 watercolour captures a serene downhill view of St.
About this work
Overview
This 1940 watercolour captures a serene downhill view of St. Fagans, Glamorganshire, with a row of thatched cottages prominently situated in the top right foreground. The scene unfolds along a winding path, set against a softly rendered landscape of greens, yellows, and light blues, with a pale sky dotted with faint clouds.
Subject & Meaning
The painting documents a traditional Welsh countryside scene, emphasizing rural architecture and natural beauty. Created under the *Recording Britain* project, it aimed to preserve Britain’s cultural heritage and landscapes threatened by wartime destruction and modernization.
Technique & Style
Executed in loose, quick strokes, the watercolour conveys a sense of spontaneity, suggesting possible outdoor execution. The artist's scribbled notes across the paper add a diary-like intimacy, reflecting the immediacy of the creative process.
History & Provenance
Commissioned by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime, led by Sir Kenneth Clark, this work is part of a larger collection of over 1,500 pieces by 97 artists, all produced to sustain traditional art practices during WWII.
Context
Within the *Recording Britain* series, this piece specifically highlights Wales' rural and historical subjects, contributing to a broader wartime effort to document and preserve national identity.
Legacy
The sketch's style, characterized by its sketchy immediacy, finds parallels in other works at the Victoria and Albert Museum, reflecting a lasting influence of the project's artistic approaches.
Artist & collection
Artist
A South Wales watercolor artist active around 1940, H. E. Du Plessis painted the everyday buildings and lanes of Glamorganshire. Brush in hand, he recorded places like the low stone Jesus Hospital in Bray and the…
