Artwork
The Ladybower Inn, Ashopton
The Ladybower Inn, Ashopton is a watercolor work on paper by Rowntree. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The Ladybower Inn, Ashopton is a watercolour painting created by Rowntree in 1940 as part of the Recording Britain project, a wartime initiative to document Britain's significant places.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a serene countryside scene featuring a two-story stone house with a white roof and small porch, set amidst a grassy yard with bare trees and rolling hills in the background.
Technique & Style
Rowntree employed light washes of colour to evoke a calm atmosphere, emphasizing simple shapes and gentle tones, with the stark foreground trees contrasting against the softer background hills.
History & Provenance
The work was produced under the Recording Britain project, led by Sir Kenneth Clark, which engaged 97 artists to create over 1,500 artworks between 1940 and 1943, funded by the Pilgrim Trust and administered by the Ministry of Labour and National Service.
Context
The project aimed to preserve a visual record of Britain's landscape and heritage during the Second World War, while also supporting artists during a period of economic uncertainty.
Artist & collection
