Conway Castle

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

The Government Art Collection includes four views of Conway Castle by George Barret senior. However, as yet it has not been possible to date any of the works. Barret exhibited views of Llanberies Pool in North Wales at the Royal Academy in both 1776 and 1777, perhaps following a recent visit to the area and his earliest view of Conway Castle may date from the same period.

George Barret senior was born in Dublin. He began his artistic career colouring engravings and taught drawing in Dublin while making his own studies of the landscape around the city. By the time Barret moved to London in around 1763, he had established a successful career. Barret became a founder member of the Royal Academy in 1768, exhibiting there until 1782. His landscapes, influenced by Dutch and Italian art, are predominantly views of the wilder areas of Britain, including part of Wales and the Lake District, but also include views of the country estates owned by his various patrons. He was appointed Official Painter to the Chelsea Hospital in 1782, but did not live to complete any work for the hospital.

Places

Wales, Conwy Castle, Conwy (County), River Conwy

Subjects

rowing boat, fisherman, topography, landscape C18th, river, man, castle, turret, oar

Materials & Techniques

canvas, oil, oil painting

Artist

George, Snr Barret (1728 - 1784)

Title

Conway Castle

Date

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

height: 102.00 cm, width: 127.00 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Christie's, 17 December 1954

Provenance

With The William Gallery; by whom sold through Christie's, London, on 17 December 1954 (Lot 315), as by J. C. Ibbetson; from which sale purchased by Richard Walker on behalf of the Ministry of Works

GAC number

3133