Artwork
Sandsend
Sandsend is a watercolor work on paper by the British Romanticist artist John Cooper. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Sandsend is a watercolour painting by John Cooper, created in 1940, depicting a serene coastal village nestled at the foot of a steep hill.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures the tranquil essence of Sandsend, with simple cottages, bare trees, and rolling hills, conveying a sense of quiet village life amidst the turmoil of World War II.
Technique & Style
Characterized by pale hues (whites, grays, soft browns), loose brushstrokes, and sketchy details, the painting features light washes in the background, creating a dreamy, distant effect.
History & Provenance
Commissioned by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime, funded by the Pilgrim Trust, and overseen by Sir Kenneth Clark, this piece was part of the Recording Britain project, aiming to document the British landscape during wartime.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Cooper specialized in quiet watercolor views of northern England from the 1940s.
Tan-y-foel, Cefn Coch, Montgomeryshire
View down the Flags, Runswick Bay
Cottages at Norton, No.5
Church and Pigs Lee, Walmersley
The church and village of Lumb
Berwyn Farm, Swch Cae Rhiw, Denbighshire
Barn at Bala, Merionethshire
Turville Village
The Newlands Horseshoe of mountains seen from the Newlands valley
Old Mill, Clynne Valley, Gower, Glamorganshire
Farm above Selattyn, Denbighshire
Looking towards Bury from the North of the city