Welsh Art News
SPRING 2007

The New Stock.

Good early Welsh pictures are in very short supply at present - a reflection of the dearth of interesting 17th, 18th and early 19th century British pictures on the market more generally. However, thorough and constant pursuit can still produce good finds and I am pleased to be able to offer some fine historical Welsh drawings in the New Stock. There are one or two more substantial oils currently being cleaned and I hope to be able to offer these the next time the site is updated.

Of particular interest are the three pen and ink drawings by Turner’s friend Philip James De Loutherbourg. The two artists travelled together and there are a number of extremely similar drawings in the Turner Bequest (Tate Britain) which, like these, were long believed to be the work of the great master himself. De Loutherbourg was in Wales in 1786 and again in 1800 - these rare works, executed in the field, date from one of these sketching tours.

The drawings of Aberdovey and the Dyfi estuary by Francis Wood date to 1838 and provide a fascinating insight into the village prior to the considerable growth that followed the coming of the train in the Victorian era. The double-page panoramic view from Borth shows almost every building in remarkable detail and is a unique and important historical record of this Welsh port in the pre-photographic era.

By a happy co-incidence the update also includes W White’s attractive and historically valuable view of the Penhelig end of the village, this dating from soon after the arrival of the railway.

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A New Book on an important Welsh Artist.

I am coming to the end of a monograph on the Welsh portrait painter William Parry A.R.A (1743-1791). Parry is an extremely important figure in the history of art in Wales but has been almost entirely forgotten. A handful of his paintings are on view in the National Museum in Cardiff but there has never been an exhibition of his work and nothing more substantial than a short article has ever been written about him.

Parry was the son of the famous Blind Harpist John Parry who was employed at Wynnstay by the 3rd and 4th Williams Wynn baronets in succession. He trained under Sir Joshua Reynolds in London and subsequently spent five years in Italy at Sir Watkin’s expense, where he made copies of the great Old Masters. Uniquely amongst Welsh painters of the period he also had a healthy practice within Wales. The book recounts all that is known of his life and work in Wales, London and Italy and contains the first complete catalogue of all his known pictures. Only 550 copies of this well-illustrated hardback book will be printed and it is expected that it will be available within the next two or three months. A further notice will be sent nearer the time.