Artwork
Ramsbury Manor; Distant View
Ramsbury Manor; Distant View is a watercolor work on paper by Lines. It dates from 1942 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Ramsbury Manor; Distant View is a 1942 watercolour by Lines, part of the Recording Britain collection, a project documenting the British landscape during World War II.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a large house in a park, framed by bare trees and featuring a pale-pink façade and red roof. The scene conveys a sense of quiet, with the trees adding a touch of movement through their loose, expressive rendering.
Technique & Style
The artist employed loose, sketchy brushstrokes, particularly in the trees, to create a sense of spontaneity and life. The watercolour technique captures the play of light and shadow across the scene, with the trees' shadows stretching across the grass.
History & Provenance
The work was created as part of the Recording Britain initiative, funded by the Pilgrim Trust and overseen by Sir Kenneth Clark, which aimed to preserve a visual record of England's landscape during a time of war and change.
Context
The Recording Britain collection comprises over 1,500 works by 97 artists, reflecting the project's goal of sustaining artistic practice while documenting cultural and physical heritage.
Artist & collection
