Entrance to Mr Tredwell's Garden, St. Toles, Oxford

Malchair was born in Cologne and emigrated to England in 1754. He worked as a drawing master and violin teacher in London, Lewes and Bristol. In 1759 he was appointed Leader of the band in the Music Room at Oxford, a post that he held until 1792. His topographical views of Oxford are tempered with picturesque elements. The present watercolour typifies Malchair's palette of soft colours punctuating subtle grey washes. Examples of his work can be found at the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum and at the Ashmolean, Oxford.