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Lot Essay
By 1862 Leader was living at Whittington, a tiny village on the outskirts of Worcester where he was born. Today, the village has been split in two by the M5 motorway. Gypsy Lane is now a cul-de-sac; treeless, much overgrown and blocked by the west side of the concrete motorway (located where the artist - or viewer - would be standing in Leader's painting).
The style of the present picture is representative of the artist's early work and can be dated to the early 1860s. Like A Stream from the Hills (lot 112), careful attention has been paid to the natural detail and light effects. The eye is lead effortlessly up the tree-lined path; past the dog, two figures and bowed figure in white, towards Walkers Lane just beyond the horizon.
Although Leader has not recorded the sale of a painting of this title, there is a possible candidate for which we do not have size or location details: the 1860 Royal Academy exhibit A Worcestershire Lane (no. 507), which was sold in 1862.
We are grateful to Ruth Wood for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.
The style of the present picture is representative of the artist's early work and can be dated to the early 1860s. Like A Stream from the Hills (lot 112), careful attention has been paid to the natural detail and light effects. The eye is lead effortlessly up the tree-lined path; past the dog, two figures and bowed figure in white, towards Walkers Lane just beyond the horizon.
Although Leader has not recorded the sale of a painting of this title, there is a possible candidate for which we do not have size or location details: the 1860 Royal Academy exhibit A Worcestershire Lane (no. 507), which was sold in 1862.
We are grateful to Ruth Wood for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.