Artwork
Tomen-y-Bala (Ancient Roman mound at Bala) Merionethshire
Tomen-y-Bala (Ancient Roman mound at Bala) Merionethshire is a watercolor work on paper by the Naïve art artist Frances Macdonald. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The artist painted this in 1942, focusing on a real place called Tomen-y-Bala, an old Roman mound in Wales.
This painting shows a quiet hillside with a big red-brown mound covered in grass and a single tree on top. Below it, two small houses sit side by side, one with a green door, the other with a stone chimney. The sky is pale, and the colors are soft, like a watercolor sketch.
The artist painted this in 1942, focusing on a real place called Tomen-y-Bala, an old Roman mound in Wales. The loose, sketchy style makes it feel quick and fresh, almost like a snapshot.
Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
Overview
This 1942 watercolour by Frances Macdonald captures the Tomen-y-Bala, an ancient mound in Bala, Merionethshire. The painting presents a serene scene with soft colours and a loose, sketchy style.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork depicts a historic site, specifically a Norman castle mound, or motte, in a market town setting. The scene includes a single tree on the mound's summit and surrounding cottages, conveying a sense of tranquility.
Technique & Style
The watercolour is executed in a loose, sketchy style, characteristic of the artist's approach. The soft colours and gentle rendering evoke a sense of immediacy, as if the scene was captured quickly.
History & Provenance
The painting was created as part of the Recording Britain project, a wartime initiative to document culturally significant landscapes and places across Britain. The project was led by Sir Kenneth Clark and funded by the Pilgrim Trust.
Context
The Recording Britain project aimed to preserve a visual record of Britain's changing national identity during a period of social and environmental transformation.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Frances Macdonald MacNair (24 August 1873 – 12 December 1921) was a Scottish artist whose design work was a prominent feature of the Modern Style (British Art Nouveau style) during the 1890s.
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