Artwork
Barn at Bala, Merionethshire
Barn at Bala, Merionethshire is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Mildred E. Eldridge. It dates from 1941 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Barn at Bala, Merionethshire is a 1941 watercolour by Mildred E. Eldridge, depicting a solitary, elevated barn with a weathered wooden structure, set amidst a field, rocks, and rolling hills under a cloudy sky.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a functional, rustic barn, likely used for hay or straw storage, elevated on stone pillars. The scene conveys a sense of quiet, rural tranquility.
Technique & Style
Eldridge employed a muted colour palette in watercolour to capture the barn's worn, natural state and its harmonious integration with the surrounding landscape, evoking contemplation.
History & Provenance
Created during WWII, this work was part of the Recording Britain project, a Ministry of Labour initiative funded by the Pilgrim Trust, aiming to document British landscapes and buildings through art.
Context
As part of Recording Britain, the piece reflects the wartime effort to preserve cultural and geographical heritage through art, under the direction of Sir Kenneth Clark.
Legacy
While specific legacy details of this individual work are not highlighted, it contributes to the broader archival and artistic significance of the Recording Britain collection, comprising over 1,500 works by 97 artists.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mildred E. Eldridge painted the hills and barns of 1940s Wales in watercolours. She left us five small scenes of rural life, each titled by the place it shows: a stone barn in Llanrhaeadr, peat cutters near Cefn Coch,…
