Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are offering for sale this very well executed watercolour of the back of Esher old Church by the artist Thomas Stevens, who has signed the painting in the lower right hand corner and signed and inscribed it verso. The painting depicts the back of St. George's Church and part of the somewhat overgrown churchyard.

St. George's was built in 1540 originally to replace a 13th Century church on the same site. The chancel and nave and some of the oak roof beams are of the time of Henry VIII, with the north aisle designed by Vanbrugh in 1725-6. In 1854, the church, which had been the parish church of Esher, was replaced by the large Christ Church built on a nearby site. Claremont House, which is on the outskirts of Esher, was the home of Princess Charlotte, daugher of Geroge IV and heir to the throne, and her husband Prince Leopold, King of the Belgians was also visited by her niece the young Princess Victoria ( later queen Victoria) and her husband Prince Albert and the whole family worshipped at St. George's.

Thomas Stevens, according to the library in Thames Ditton, who hold three of his rather naive oil paintings, was active from 1889 to 1893, although he exhibited from 1891-93, according to The Dictionary of British Artists and Graves Dictionary, 1 painting at the RA., 1 at the RBA and 1 at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. He lived in Thames Ditton and was a landscape painter. Having looked up the Census records for 1891, there are three people of that name living in Thames Ditton and none of them gave their occupation as artist, so we can only assume that he was a talented amateur, whose skill lies in watercolours, in our opinion.

The painting is professionally mounted with washlines and is framed in a 3/4" gitl frame. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Provenance: The Hampton Hill Gallery

Image size: 13 3/8" x 10 3/8" - 34cm x 26.4cm

Frame size: 22 1/2" x 18 1/8" - 57.15cm x 46cm

Medium: Watercolours

Condition: Very good. There is no foxing or fading and the colours are strong. The mount and frame are in very good condition.