Artwork
Wife & children of David Jones, Pantglas
Wife & children of David Jones, Pantglas is an oil painting by the Realist artist William Salter Herrick. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1870, this oil painting by William Salter Herrick records Margaret Charlotte Campbell, the wife of David Jones of Pantglas, together with her two daughters. The work is part of the collection of the National Library of Wales and presents a domestic scene rendered with careful attention to detail.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait centers on Margaret Campbell, dressed in a dark gown trimmed with white lace, who embraces her two young daughters. The children wear light dresses accented with blue trim, suggesting a modest yet refined family environment. The inclusion of a flower in the mother’s hand adds a subtle note of tenderness and maternal care.
Technique & Style
Herrick employed oil on canvas to achieve a realistic, finely rendered surface. The figures are modeled with soft chiaroscuro, while the surrounding foliage and distant landscape are depicted with a looser brushwork that balances detail and atmosphere. The overall effect is a naturalistic representation typical of late‑19th‑century British portraiture.
History & Provenance
Since its completion, the painting has remained in Wales, eventually entering the holdings of the National Library of Wales. Its provenance reflects the regional significance of the Jones family of Pantglas and the artist’s connection to Welsh patronage during the Victorian era.
Context
The work belongs to a period when portraiture served both as a record of familial lineage and as a display of social standing. Herrick’s choice of a domestic interior, combined with a modest landscape background, aligns with contemporary conventions that emphasized respectable middle‑class values and the importance of family cohesion.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Salter Herrick painted oil portraits of 19th-century figures and families.
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