Rocky Landscape, Village on the Hill

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

Anthony Devis was born in Preston and was from a well-known artistic family. His half brother was the better-known painter Arthur Devis (c.1711-1787). Anthony is believed to have worked as a painter from the age of 13. He lived and worked in London from 1742 and won a prize for landscape at the Society of Artists of Great Britain in 1763. His work was exhibited at the Free Society of Artists in 1761 and 1763 and at the Royal Academy in 1772 and 1781. Devis toured widely around Britain, particularly in wilder areas such as the Lake District, and gradually both he and those who bought his paintings came under the spell of the picturesque.

Places

Subjects

shepherd, landscape C18th, townscape/cityscape, dog, sheep, river bank, stream, hill, waterfall, baby, man

Materials & Techniques

paper (as artists material), watercolour (as artists materials), ink, watercolour (as object name), wash

Artist

Anthony Devis (1729 - 1816)

Title

Rocky Landscape, Village on the Hill

Date

Medium

Watercolour, pen and ink and wash, on paper

Dimensions

height: 29.50 cm, width: 42.00 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from the Fine Art Society, February 1948

Provenance

Collection of John Trower (patron of the artist and reputed to have purchased the contents of Devis’ studio after his death) of Muntham Place, Findon, Sussex; by descent to W. G. Trower; by whom sold through Christie’s, London, on 18 July 1947 (Lot 22), for £47.50, as one of six watercolours in that Lot; from which sale purchased by the Fine Art Society, London; from whom purchased by the Ministry of Works in February 1948

GAC number

521