Artwork
The Village Post Office
The Village Post Office is an oil painting by the Realist artist Frederick Goodall. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The Village Post Office is an 1849 oil painting by Frederick Goodall, a British artist active during the Victorian era. It is a genre scene depicting everyday life in an English village.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows a lively gathering outside a village post office, with people of various ages reading, conversing, and children playing. The scene may reference the recently introduced penny post or nostalgically depict an earlier era.
Technique & Style
Goodall's work is characterized by its detailed and warm portrayal of everyday life, capturing the activity and community of the villagers.
History & Provenance
The painting was one of Goodall's early notable works. A larger version, created in 1850, was exhibited at the British Institution and later engraved by Charles William Sharpe. The 1849 version is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, part of the Jones Bequest.
Artist & collection
Artist
Frederick Goodall (17 September 1822 – 29 July 1904) was an English painter, normally of figure subjects, often on large scale.
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