Artwork
Old Toll Bar House, Ashopton
Old Toll Bar House, Ashopton is a watercolor work on paper by the Social Realist artist Rowntree. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Old Toll Bar House, Ashopton is a watercolour painting created by Rowntree in 1940. It is a representative work from the Recording Britain project, an initiative that employed artists to document landscapes and buildings at risk due to wartime changes.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a serene village scene with a winding road, old stone buildings, and a church. A lone figure walks along the path, set against a backdrop of autumnal trees and a distant hill, capturing a moment in time and a sense of national identity.
Technique & Style
Rowntree's use of loose, sketchy brushstrokes conveys a soft, dreamy quality, capturing the interplay of light and shadow. The contrast between traditional stone structures and modern power lines adds a layer of depth to the scene.
History & Provenance
The work was produced as part of the Recording Britain project, led by Sir Kenneth Clark and funded by the Pilgrim Trust. The project engaged 97 artists to create over 1,500 works documenting British landscapes and buildings.
Context
The Recording Britain initiative focused on documenting scenes and structures across England, with a limited presence in Wales and a separate program for Scotland, in response to the threat posed by World War II.
Artist & collection
