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Lot Essay
Allingham's reputation as a painter of cottage scenes was established during the 7 years she lived near Witely. In 1886 The Fine Art Socirty held an exhibition entitled Surrey Cottages, which consisted of 66 exhibits by the artist, and depicted the countryside during the four seasons. The following year, the gallery held another exhibition entitled In The Country, in which Allingham exhibited a further eighty watercolours.
Over the years Allingham's rustic neighbours got used to seeing her at work out doors. She had become a familiar sight seated at the side of a lane, with an opened umbrella acting as a make-shift easel. They also allowed the artist to paint inside their simple, yet homely cottages although such scenes were a complete contrast to the interiors she portrayed of her own comfortable home. It is likely these folk were completely unaware that the resulting watercolours would soon be adorning the walls of the smartest London galleries, and commanding prices that were quite beyond their means.
During the 1880s, agricultural worker Moses Gale and his family lived in the cottage that appears in On the Brook Road, near Witley.
This cottage can still be found at Sandhills but has since been enlarged.
We are grateful to Annabel Watts for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.
For other works by Helen Allingham see lots 19 and 180.
Over the years Allingham's rustic neighbours got used to seeing her at work out doors. She had become a familiar sight seated at the side of a lane, with an opened umbrella acting as a make-shift easel. They also allowed the artist to paint inside their simple, yet homely cottages although such scenes were a complete contrast to the interiors she portrayed of her own comfortable home. It is likely these folk were completely unaware that the resulting watercolours would soon be adorning the walls of the smartest London galleries, and commanding prices that were quite beyond their means.
During the 1880s, agricultural worker Moses Gale and his family lived in the cottage that appears in On the Brook Road, near Witley.
This cottage can still be found at Sandhills but has since been enlarged.
We are grateful to Annabel Watts for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.
For other works by Helen Allingham see lots 19 and 180.