Buckland House, near Faringdon
1940
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1940
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Buckland House, near Faringdon is a 1940 watercolor by Piper, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting depicts a large, imposing house with a symmetrical facade, set against a backdrop of a cloudy sky. The house features a central section with a pedimented roof and two wings on either side, each with its own roof. In front of the house, a low wall runs along the edge of the image, with a path leading up to the entrance. The painting is rendered in muted colors, with the house and surrounding landscape depicted in shades of brown, gray, and beige. The overall effect is one of serenity and grandeur, capturing the essence of a stately home in the English countryside. If you're interested in learning more about the artist behind this piece, you might want to look up Piper.
This watercolour by John Piper, signed and dated 1940, depicts Buckland House as a pale, spectral structure set against a dark, dramatic sky and foreground. Part of the *Recording Britain* project, it was created under a wartime scheme that employed artists to document Britain’s landscape and architecture, funded by the Pilgrim Trust and overseen by Sir Kenneth Clark. The work reflects concerns about potential wartime damage and broader changes to the rural and built environment. Over 1,500 works were produced by 97 artists for the initiative, which ran from 1940 to 1943.
Read the full account in the museum source.
A 1940s British artist known for delicate watercolours of country houses, churches, and riverside views, Piper captured quiet corners of England in soft washes and fine lines.
See the richer artist page
