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The Legend of St. Kenelm, King of Mercia

Unknown

1839

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 1839 watercolor by Unknown, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1839 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This faded watercolor shows three scenes side by side. On the left, a crowned figure stands beside a cross, holding a book. In the middle, a man is nailed to a cross with two other crosses behind him. On the right, a group of people—some kneeling, some holding objects—stand near a ship with flames and waves around it. The ship scene looks like a moment of drama or discovery, with figures gathered closely. The whole painting feels old and worn, like it’s been handled a lot. See more like this at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

A watercolour drawing from 1839, monogrammed "HPC," consists of two sheets that reproduce figures from a now-lost 13th-century wall painting at Hales Owen Church in Shropshire.

Read the full account in the museum source.