GATHERING WATERCRESS ON THE BANKS OF THE MOLE, SURREY

WILLIAM FREDERICK WITHERINGTON STUDIED AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY SCHOOLS AND EXHIBITED AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY FROM 1811 UNTIL 1863. IN 1830 HE WAS ELECTED ASSOCIATE OF THE ACADEMY BUT HIS DECLINING HEALTH LED TO HIS SPENDING LONG PERIODS OF TIME IN THE COUNTRY WHERE HE COULD RECOVER AND SKETCH IN THE OPEN AIR. THE ARTIST'S TRANSITION FROM PREDOMINANTLY GENRE WORKS TO LANDSCAPES IN THE 1830S CAN BE SEEN AS A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF HIS TIME IN THE KENT COUNTRYSIDE. IN 1840 WITHERINGTON WAS ELECTED A FULL MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY, AFTER WHICH HE FAVOURED THE WEST COUNTRY AND WALES AS INSPIRATION FOR HIS PICTURESQUE SCENES.

THE PRESENT PAINTING WAS EXHIBITED AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY IN 1855. IN 1859 THE ART JOURNAL DESCRIBED IT AS HAVING 'A MOST AGREEABLE COMPOSITION' AND NOTED WITHERINGTON'S LONGSTANDING POPULARITY WITH THE PUBLIC. 'MR WITHERINGTON IS A TRUE LOVER OF ENGLISH GROUND, AND AN ABLE ILLUSTRATOR OF ITS "THOUSAND SIGHTS OF LOVELINESS"'.