William Lionel Wyllie, R.A., (British, 1851-1931)

Beckton Gas Works, an unfinished work

Beckton Gas Works, an unfinished work
oil on canvas
61 x 91.5cm (24 x 36in).

Provenance
Family of the artist, by descent.

William Wyllie is regarded as one of the most important British marine artists. Born in London in 1851, Wyllie was educated at the Royal Academy from the age of 15. Wyllie, alongside his brother Charles and step-brother Lionel Percy Smythe, spent many years painting views of the Thames from their floating barge The Ladybird, which they used as their studio. By placing himself on the river, he was able to convincingly convey life on Thames.

The present unfinished oil offers a rare insight into the working of the artist. Having been taken on a tour of the Beckton Gas Works in 1880, Wyllie has selected this as his subject. Shipping on the Thames can be seen to the right, but only a few brushstrokes have been applied to suggest this. At some stage Wyllie must have decided not to continue the work and instead demoted his canvas to use as a palette, which can be seen to the right.