Sidney Richard Percy (1821-1886)

Sidney Richard Percy Williams, known as Sidney Richard Percy, was the second-youngest son of the landscape artist Edward Williams (1781-1855) and one of six brothers, all of whom were accomplished and successful painters. Percy's decision to change his exhibiting name reflects the their prominence at the time, and the confusion that could result from the shared name; as a group they were sometimes referred to as the 'Williams School' or 'School of Barnes'.

The present small-scale oil is similar to a large-scale view exhibited by Percy at the Royal Manchester Institution in 1872. Such cabinet sized pictures found much favour with the artist's clients when he produced them in the early 1870s.

We are grateful to Michael Knowles, O.B.E., for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.