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Houses in Marlborough Hill, St. John's Wood

Enid Marx

1940

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

British Romanticism Early Modern Cityscape

Dominant colour

Houses in Marlborough Hill, St. John's Wood is a 1940 watercolor by Enid Marx, a British Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Enid Marx
When & what style?: 1940 · British Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows two tall buildings with lots of windows. One is a pale yellow, the other a warm brown. Trees with thin branches stand in front, some bare, some with green leaves. A bench sits under one tree, and a sidewalk curves around the corner. The artist used quick, loose lines to show light and shadow. The colors are simple but warm, like a sunny day. Look up Enid Marx to see more of her work.

The story of this work

Overview

Houses in Marlborough Hill, St. John's Wood is a watercolour by Enid Marx from 1940, created as part of the Recording Britain project. The initiative employed artists to document British scenes during the Second World War, funded by the Pilgrim Trust and directed by Sir Kenneth Clark. The project aimed to preserve a record of the landscape amid wartime threats and ongoing changes such as urban expansion and rural decline. Over 1,500 works were produced by 97 artists, including Marx, as part of this effort to sustain traditional art forms during the conflict.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Enid Marx

Enid Crystal Dorothy Marx, RDI (20 October 1902 – 18 May 1998), was an English painter and designer, best known for her industrial textile designs for the London Transport Board and the Utility furniture Scheme.

See the richer artist page