William Alfred Delamotte, British 1775-1863- An old thatched house beside...

William Alfred Delamotte,
British 1775-1863-

An old thatched house beside a path with two figures;

pen, black ink, watercolour and bodycolour heightened with white on paper, 28.8 x 22.6 cm.

Provenance:
Anon. sale, Christie's, 22 October 1974, lot 52.
Private Collection, UK.

Note:
Delamotte studied under Benjamin West (1738-1820), and like West, enjoyed the patronage of King George III. He was a prolific draughtsman, producing extensive sketches and watercolours throughout Europe, in addition to the many executed in Oxford where he spent much of his life. A number of Delamotte's drawings were made into woodcuts by Orlando Jewitt (1799-1869). The present work is a charming example of his work, depicting an idyllic, rustic setting, with the sun streaming in from the right. Little action disturbs the scene, with the artist only hinting at the toil of rural labour by means of the tools lying beside the cottage.