'Village With Church Spire' by James Orrock, 1845; English Watercolor, David Cox

Description

Signed lower left, 'J. Orrock' for James Orrock (British, 1829-1913) and dated 1845.
Matted Dimensions: 14.5 H x 19 W … more Signed lower left, 'J. Orrock' for James Orrock (British, 1829-1913) and dated 1845.
Matted Dimensions: 14.5 H x 19 W x .25 D Inches.

A well composed and freshly painted, mid-nineteenth century watercolor showing a view of a herd of cattle pasturing in lush fields beside a river, with a view beyond towards the church spire of a picturesque English village nestled among rolling hills at sunset.

Orrock originally trained as a dentist in Edinburgh before moving to Nottingham where he began to paint and first studied art at the Nottingham School of Design. Following a move to London in 1866, he embarked on a career as a full-time artist He first was elected associate (1871) and, later, a full member (1875) of the Royal Institute. Over the course of a long career, Orrock exhibited widely and with success and was the recipient of numerous prizes, medals and juried awards

As a watercolourist and landscape artist, Orrock was influenced by David Cox, in both his style and subject matter. He was a passionate advocate of British art and, following his move to London, became a major collector of fine and decorative arts. He primarily collected English 18th and 19th-century pictures and watercolours, 18th-century furniture, and 17th and 18th-century Chinese porcelain. Orrock established himself as a leading taste-maker in society, becoming a passionate and, finally, successful advocate for the establishment of a National Gallery of British art.

Source:
Liverpool Museum, Walker Art Gallery. less