Ham House; the Avenue from the gate in Sandy Lane
John Sanderson Sanderson-Wells
1940
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
John Sanderson Sanderson-Wells
1940
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Ham House; the Avenue from the gate in Sandy Lane is a 1940 watercolor by John Sanderson Sanderson-Wells, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This sketch shows a quiet country lane lined with tall trees on both sides. The branches twist together overhead, letting in just a bit of light. In the distance, a row of buildings appears, maybe a village or a house. The whole scene is drawn in soft, pale lines—no bold colors, just shades of gray and white. The artist used quick, loose strokes to suggest leaves and shadows. It feels like a fast sketch, not a polished painting. The trees look almost alive, their branches tangled and full. Want to see more work like this? Check out Victoria and Albert Museum.
This drawing by John Sanderson depicts an avenue of mature elm trees leading toward Ham House, executed in 1940 and signed by the artist. Part of the "Recording Britain" collection, it was created under a wartime initiative to document Britain’s landscape and cultural heritage amid fears of bomb damage, invasion, and rapid modernization. The scheme, funded by the Pilgrim Trust and directed by Sir Kenneth Clark, employed artists to record scenes such as country estates, rural landscapes, and historic buildings across England, Wales, and Scotland. The work reflects an effort to preserve a…
Read the full account in the museum source.
John Sanderson-Wells painted quiet watercolor scenes of London’s riverside in the 1940s.
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