Who painted An old shop in the Market Place, St. Albans?

An old shop in the Market Place, St. Albans was painted by Cheek in 1943.

Where can I see An old shop in the Market Place, St. Albans?

An old shop in the Market Place, St. Albans is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is An old shop in the Market Place, St. Albans?

An old shop in the Market Place, St. Albans is associated with Social Realism.

Artwork

An old shop in the Market Place, St. Albans

Cheek , 1943

An old shop in the Market Place, St. Albans is a watercolor work on paper by the Social Realist artist Cheek. It dates from 1943 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. An old shop in the Market Place, St.

About this work

Overview

An old shop in the Market Place, St. Albans is a watercolour painting created by Cheek in 1943. The work is a representation of a typical English market town scene, capturing the architecture of a historic building.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a simple two-story building with a shop on the ground floor, featuring dark wooden doors and a sign above them. The upper floor has two windows with blue curtains, and the roof is slanted with red-brown tiles, conveying a sense of everyday life in a traditional English setting.

Technique & Style

The artist employed a rapid, fluid style, using loose, sketchy brushstrokes and thin, watery paint that allows the paper to show through in some areas. The effect is akin to quick pencil lines in certain sections, giving the work a spontaneous feel.

History & Provenance

This painting is part of the 'Recording Britain' collection, a wartime initiative from 1940 to 1943 that documented Britain's landscape and architecture. Funded by the Pilgrim Trust and directed by Sir Kenneth Clark, the scheme aimed to preserve a sense of national identity and support artists during wartime.

Context

The 'Recording Britain' collection, which includes this work, focused on English market towns, rural scenes, and historic buildings, resulting in over 1,500 topographical images. The project was driven by concerns about bomb damage and urban change during World War II.