Artwork
The bell tower, St. Mary's Church, West Walton near Wisbech
The bell tower, St. Mary's Church, West Walton near Wisbech is a watercolor work on paper by the British Romanticist artist Barbara Jones. It dates from 1942 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Bell Tower, St.
About this work
Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more of this artist’s work.
This watercolor shows a tall church tower with pointed arches and small windows. In front of it, a few gravestones sit in a grassy yard. The building looks old, with a mix of stone and dark wood doors. The sky is pale, and the whole scene feels quiet.
The artist painted this in 1942, focusing on the details of the church’s design. The gravestones add a simple touch of life to the scene.
Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more of this artist’s work.
Overview
The Bell Tower, St. Mary's Church, West Walton near Wisbech is a 1942 watercolour depicting a church tower in Norfolk.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows the tower of St. Mary's Church, surrounded by a graveyard with a few headstones, capturing a serene rural scene.
Technique & Style
The artist's use of watercolour highlights the church's architectural details, such as pointed arches and small windows, conveying a sense of age and tranquility.
History & Provenance
Created as part of the Recording Britain project, a wartime initiative to document threatened landscapes and buildings, this work was produced between 1940 and 1943 with funding from the Pilgrim Trust.
Context
The Recording Britain project, directed by Sir Kenneth Clark, employed 97 artists to capture scenes of national identity, resulting in over 1,500 works.
Artist & collection
Artist
Barbara Mildred Jones (25 December 1912 – 28 August 1978) was an English artist, writer and mural painter. She is known for curating the exhibition Black Eyes and Lemonade (1951) and her book The Unsophisticated Arts (1951).
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