What movement is Inn signs ('The Unicorn' and 'Exeter Arms'), Uppingham, Rutlandshire?

Inn signs ('The Unicorn' and 'Exeter Arms'), Uppingham, Rutlandshire is associated with Naïve art.

Artwork

Inn signs ('The Unicorn' and 'Exeter Arms'), Uppingham, Rutlandshire

Barbara Jones , 1943

Inn signs ('The Unicorn' and 'Exeter Arms'), Uppingham, Rutlandshire is a watercolor work on paper by the Naïve art artist Barbara Jones. It dates from 1943 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The watercolour portrays a pair of historic inn signs attached to a plain wall in Uppingham, Rutlandshire.

About this work

Overview

The watercolour portrays a pair of historic inn signs attached to a plain wall in Uppingham, Rutlandshire. On the left a sundial‑styled clock bears a small white horse, while on the right a heraldic shield flanked by two lions is topped by a banner reading “Exeter Arms.” The composition records the weathered texture of the wall and the slight tilt of the signs.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures two emblematic markers of local public houses: a unicorn motif linked to the “Unicorn” inn and a formal coat of arms identifying the “Exeter Arms.” By focusing on these everyday symbols, the artist highlights the role of inns as social landmarks within the town’s visual landscape.

Technique & Style

Executed in watercolour, the piece employs a restrained palette and fine brushwork to render the faded paint, peeling plaster, and subtle shadows. The artist emphasizes texture through delicate washes, allowing the contrast between the simple horse illustration and the more elaborate heraldic device to emerge.

History & Provenance

Created in 1943, the painting was produced for the Recording Britain project, a wartime initiative directed by Sir Kenneth Clark. The scheme commissioned artists to document Britain’s built environment and cultural markers during World War II, resulting in a corpus of over 1,500 works by 97 contributors.

Context

The Recording Britain effort responded to concerns that aerial bombing and post‑war modernization might erase regional character. By cataloguing modest street scenes such as this pair of inn signs, the project sought to preserve a visual record of local identity for future generations.

Contribution to V&A's 150th anniversary album, Lucinda Rogers

Artist & collection

Artist

Barbara Jones

Barbara Mildred Jones (25 December 1912 – 28 August 1978) was an English artist, writer and mural painter. She is known for curating the exhibition Black Eyes and Lemonade (1951) and her book The Unsophisticated Arts (1951).