View of Leeds from Woodhouse Ridge

The present watercolour is not only a remarkably early view of Leeds, but is also a rare example of Grimshaw's work in watercolour, a medium he used in an important experimental phase of his development, largely confined to the 1860s. Grimshaw was influenced by the work of John William Inchbold (1830-1888), one of the first Pre-Raphaelite landscape artists, and this drew him towards Ruskin and his writings, such as Modern Painters, in which Ruskin encouraged fidelity to nature enhanced through the use of photography.

We are grateful to Alex Robertson for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.