Artwork

The Mill, Walpole Highway, near Wisbech

The Mill, Walpole Highway, near Wisbech, by Barbara Jones, watercolor, 1942
The Mill, Walpole Highway, near Wisbech, by Barbara Jones, watercolor, 1942

The Mill, Walpole Highway, near Wisbech is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Barbara Jones. It dates from 1942 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Nearby, there’s a small building with a chimney and a fence made of wooden slats.

This painting shows a tall windmill with a wooden base and metal blades. The blades are angled, and the tower has a small door and two windows. Nearby, there’s a small building with a chimney and a fence made of wooden slats.

The artist signed the painting in the corner, noting it was made in 1942. The scene looks quiet, with muted colors and simple shapes.

If you like this, check out windmill designs from the same era.

Overview

The Mill, Walpole Highway, near Wisbech is a 1942 watercolour by Barbara Jones, capturing a functioning windmill in a rural Cambridgeshire setting.

Subject & Meaning

The painting documents a traditional windmill, emphasizing its operational state amidst wartime, as part of the Recording Britain project, which aimed to preserve images of England's national heritage.

Technique & Style

Characterized by muted colours and simple, geometric shapes, the watercolour depicts a serene scene with a tall, wooden-based windmill, angled metal blades, and adjacent rural structures.

History & Provenance

Commissioned under the Recording Britain project (1940-1946), funded by the Pilgrim Trust and directed by Sir Kenneth Clark, the work is signed, dated, and titled by the artist.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Barbara Jones

Artist

Barbara Jones

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).