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The Legend of St. Kenelm, King of Mercia

Unknown

1845

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

The Legend of St. Kenelm, King of Mercia is a 1845 watercolor by Unknown, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1845 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows a woman in a long robe kneeling beside a cow under a tree. A lion lies nearby, and a small building sits in the background. The colors are mostly earthy browns and greens, with a few red accents. The woman looks like she’s praying or holding something up. The artist used simple shapes and flat colors to tell a story. Next, look up Romanticism to see how this style often mixed history with emotion.

The story of this work

Overview

A set of seven watercolour sheets from 1845 reproduces tracings of figures from 14th-century wall paintings depicting the legend of St. Kenelm, King of Mercia, each sheet signed with the monogram 'HPC'.

Read the full account in the museum source.