The Village Well, East Marsden

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Dominant colour

The Village Well, East Marsden is a 23 watercolor by Flint, a Social Realism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Flint
When & what style?: 23 · Social Realism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

The image presents a watercolour painting of a well, titled 'The Village Well, East Marsden'. The well is positioned centrally, with a bucket hanging from a rope. The well's structure is composed of wooden beams, and a metal chain is visible. The background of the painting features a subtle grey tone, which may represent the sky or a wall. A notable aspect of the painting is the use of watercolour to depict the well's wooden structure and the surrounding environment. The artist's choice of medium adds a sense of delicacy and fragility to the scene. For more information on the artist behind this work, explore the art of Flint.

The story of this work

Overview

This watercolour by Sir William Russell Flint depicts a village scene centered on a well in East Marsden, created as part of the *Recording Britain* project during the early 1940s. Commissioned by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime, the work reflects efforts to document British landscapes and rural life amid concerns over wartime destruction and modernization. The painting is one of over 1,500 works produced by 97 artists for the initiative, which aimed to preserve a visual record of places perceived as integral to national identity. The project was led by Sir Kenneth…

Read the full account in the museum source.