Who painted The Pagoda, Alton Towers, Staffordshire?

The Pagoda, Alton Towers, Staffordshire was painted by Barbara Jones in 1943.

Where can I see The Pagoda, Alton Towers, Staffordshire?

The Pagoda, Alton Towers, Staffordshire is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is The Pagoda, Alton Towers, Staffordshire?

The Pagoda, Alton Towers, Staffordshire is associated with British Romanticism.

Artwork

The Pagoda, Alton Towers, Staffordshire

Barbara Jones , 1943

The Pagoda, Alton Towers, Staffordshire is a watercolor work on paper by the British Romanticist artist Barbara Jones. It dates from 1943 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The work is a watercolour that records a small, wooden pavilion modeled after the To‑ho pagoda of Canton, situated within the landscaped grounds of Alton Towers in Staffordshire. Framed by slender trees and low shrubbery, the scene is rendered in a tranquil palette of soft blues and muted greens, giving the composition a gentle, almost reverie‑like atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

Although the structure imitates East Asian architectural motifs, curved roofs, lanterns, and tiered eaves, it is in fact a British garden folly. The painting captures the juxtaposition of exotic design within an English park, suggesting a nostalgic appreciation for foreign aesthetics while reinforcing a sense of place rooted in the local landscape.

Technique & Style

The artist employs delicate washes of transparent pigment, allowing the paper’s whiteness to convey light and air. Minimal brushwork defines the pavilion’s outline, while broader, feathered strokes suggest sky and foliage, creating a calm, understated visual effect that emphasizes atmosphere over detail.

History & Provenance

Created between 1940 and 1943, the piece formed part of the Recording Britain scheme, a wartime project that commissioned artists to document threatened sites across the country. Funding came from the Pilgrim Trust, and the initiative was administered by Sir Kenneth Clark, who sought to preserve a visual record of Britain’s cultural landscape during a period of upheaval.

Context

The Recording Britain programme responded to concerns that aerial bombardment and post‑war modernization might erase historic vistas and local traditions. By depicting a garden structure that blended foreign inspiration with domestic setting, the work contributes to the broader effort to define a collective national identity through topographical art.

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).