Who painted Contrary Winds?

Contrary Winds was painted by Thomas Webster in 1843.

Where can I see Contrary Winds?

Contrary Winds is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Contrary Winds?

Contrary Winds is associated with Realism.

Artwork

Contrary Winds

Thomas Webster , 1843

Contrary Winds is an unspecified painting by the Realist artist Thomas Webster. It dates from 1843 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Contrary Winds, a genre painting by Thomas Webster (British, 1843), captures a serene domestic scene where childhood play and everyday domesticity coexist.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts an English cottage interior where four children, entranced by a candle-lit game of sailing boats in a washing tub, contrast with an older woman serenely sewing nearby, highlighting the juxtaposition of youthful wonder and adult tranquility.

Technique & Style

Webster employs chiaroscuro to evoke warmth and intimacy, with a large fireplace and a single candle casting shadows, illuminating the children's wonder-struck faces and the woman's focused expression amidst a cluttered, cozy room.

History & Provenance

First shown at the 1844 British Institution exhibition in Pall Mall, the painting was later acquired by John Sheepshanks, who donated it to the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1857 as part of the Sheepshanks Gift.

Artist & collection

Artist

Thomas Webster

Thomas Webster (10 March 1800 – 23 September 1886), was a British painter of genre scenes of school and village life, many of which became popular through prints. He lived for many years at the artists' colony at Cranbrook in Kent.