The Tithe Barn, Great Coxwell
1940
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1940
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
The Tithe Barn, Great Coxwell is a 1940 watercolor by Piper, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This sketch shows a tall, old stone church nestled in a quiet countryside. The building has simple arches and a steep roof, with one tower rising higher than the rest. The ground around it is rough and uneven, dotted with wild grass and a few trees. The artist used loose, quick brushstrokes to capture light and shadow, giving the scene a soft, dreamy feel. The way the artist blurred edges between light and dark helps the church feel solid yet mysterious. The colors are mostly earthy—beiges, grays, and browns—with just a hint of green in the distant hills. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this one.
The watercolour depicts the 14th-century tithe barn at Great Coxwell, employing a low viewpoint and stark chiaroscuro to emphasize the structure’s monumental scale against a dark, enclosing setting. Executed in 1940 as part of the Recording Britain project, it was commissioned to document places of national significance during the Second World War. The scheme, directed by Sir Kenneth Clark, aimed to preserve a visual record of the British landscape amid fears of wartime destruction and rapid modernization. Piper’s work reflects the project’s broader focus on rural architecture and traditional…
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.
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