Benjamin Williams Leader, R.A. (1831-1923)

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.