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Fountain in Kensington Gardens

Bayes

1940

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Early Modern

Dominant colour

Fountain in Kensington Gardens is a 1940 watercolor by Bayes, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Bayes
When & what style?: 1940 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This watercolor shows a busy garden scene with a large fountain at the center. People—some standing, some sitting—mix with dogs and birds around a tiled area. The trees are tall and leafy, painted in loose, swirling strokes of purple and green. The colors are soft but bright, with quick brushwork that keeps things lively. The artist used light, sketchy lines to show movement, almost like a quick sketch. The fountain’s water looks like it’s splashing, but the whole scene feels loose and free. Look up Bayes to see more of their playful, energetic style.

The story of this work

Overview

A watercolour by Bayes from 1940 depicts a close view of a fountain on a terrace in Kensington Gardens, with ducks gathered around the water basin. A young child and three women observe the scene. This work is part of the "Recording Britain" collection, a wartime project initiated in 1940 by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime under the Ministry of Labour and National Service. Funded by the Pilgrim Trust, the scheme employed artists to document the British landscape and aspects of national identity during the Second World War.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Bayes

This artist painted watercolours around London in the 1940s. They captured quiet spots like The Gateway at Royal Naval College, Greenwich, The Garden at York House in Twickenham, and London Dock, Wapping. Each sheet…

See the richer artist page