Henry Gastineau, OWS

Watercolour over traces of pencil with touches of white, gum arabic and scratching out36.5 x 47.3 cmProvenanceThe Oppé collection, Sotheby’s, 15 July 2016, lot 135 (as British School)Gastineau made many watercolours of Welsh subjects, some of which were engraved and published as Wales Illustrated in 1830–31. These included another version of this view, showing the Eagle Tower from a slightly different angle: see below. He exhibited two watercolours of Caernarvon Castle at the Old WaterColour Society (OWS), in 1830, no. 356 (possibly the present drawing), and again in 1847, no. 225.The artist was known for his successful moonlit watercolours, to which according to Roget he gave a characteristic mellowness by means of preliminary washes of warm colour: see J. L. Roget, A History of the Old WaterColour Society, 1891, reprinted 1972, p. 508.

KT341Signed, inscribed and dated l.r.: On the Holmwood/Dorking/H. Gastineau/1864(?), watercolour over pencil with touches of gum arabic27 x 37.5 cm.; 10 5/8 x 14 ¾ inchesA prolific and successful watercolourist, Gastineau travelled widely in the British Isles and abroad. He was based in Camberwell, London from 1827. Gastineau exhibited numerous views of Surrey throughout his long career. His work may be found in many UK museum collections.