Who painted The Round House, or Lock-Up, Alton?

The Round House, or Lock-Up, Alton was painted by Barbara Jones in 1943.

Where can I see The Round House, or Lock-Up, Alton?

The Round House, or Lock-Up, Alton is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is The Round House, or Lock-Up, Alton?

The Round House, or Lock-Up, Alton is associated with Social Realism.

Artwork

The Round House, or Lock-Up, Alton

Barbara Jones , 1943

The Round House, or Lock-Up, Alton is a watercolor work on paper by the Social Realist artist Barbara Jones. It dates from 1943 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The Round House, or Lock-Up, Alton is a 1943 watercolour by Barbara Jones, capturing a distinctive round stone building alongside a rectangular brick structure in Alton, executed as part of the Recording Britain project.

Subject & Meaning

The painting focuses on a small, unusual round lock-up with a domed roof and minimal windowing, juxtaposed with a taller, more conventional brick building. The scene conveys a sense of quiet, everyday life, with the round structure's form suggesting a potential historical or functional significance as a guard post or watchtower.

Technique & Style

Jones employed soft watercolour strokes to evoke a serene, rainy atmosphere, characterized by muted tones of grey, brown, and soft blue. The brushwork contributes to the overall calmness of the depiction.

History & Provenance

Created under the Recording Britain scheme (funded by the Pilgrim Trust and directed by Sir Kenneth Clark), this work was part of a wartime effort to document Britain’s vulnerable landscape and architecture, resulting in a collection of over 1,500 pieces by 97 artists.

Context

The project's context was the threat of wartime destruction and social change, aiming to preserve visual records of English towns, churches, rural landscapes, and unique architectural features like the round lock-up in Alton.

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).