Who painted 3, Bathwick Hill, Bath?

3, Bathwick Hill, Bath was painted by Ellis in 1943.

Where can I see 3, Bathwick Hill, Bath?

3, Bathwick Hill, Bath is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is 3, Bathwick Hill, Bath?

3, Bathwick Hill, Bath is associated with Social Realism.

Artwork

3, Bathwick Hill, Bath

Ellis , 1943

3, Bathwick Hill, Bath is a watercolor work on paper by the Social Realist artist Ellis. It dates from 1943 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Ellis’s 1943 watercolour records the ornamental iron gateway and carved stone porch of a town house on Bathwick Hill in Bath. The composition centers on a tall, narrow window framed by a decorative stone surround and a swirled iron gate, rendered in muted greys and browns with subtle shadowing.

Subject & Meaning

The depicted architecture features distinctive motifs—wyvern heads and pineapple carvings—integrated into the masonry, reflecting the eclectic decorative tastes of the period. By focusing on these details, the work highlights the blend of medieval revival and exotic ornamentation that characterises many Bath residences.

Technique & Style

Ellis employs a restrained palette and simplified forms, emphasizing texture over colour. Smooth stone surfaces contrast with the roughness of the surrounding wall, while the delicate ironwork is suggested through fine line work. The light, slightly faded wash conveys both the materiality of the subject and the artist’s economical wartime approach.

History & Provenance

The watercolour was created for the Recording Britain project, a wartime scheme organized by Sir Kenneth Clark and funded by the Pilgrim Trust. The initiative, managed by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime, commissioned artists to document buildings perceived to be at risk from bombing, urban growth, and changing rural practices during World War II.

Context

Recording Britain sought to preserve a visual archive of a “vanishing Britain,” capturing structures whose future seemed uncertain amid the conflict. Ellis’s contribution records a specific Bath address, illustrating how local heritage was incorporated into a national effort to safeguard cultural memory.

Legacy

The watercolour remains part of the broader Recording Britain collection, serving as a reference for architectural historians and conservationists studying mid‑20th‑century Bath. Its modest execution exemplifies the project’s aim to combine artistic documentation with historical preservation.