Sidney Richard Percy

Christie's, London, 11 June 2004, lot 97;
Agnew's, London, May 2005

The board appears to be sound, slightly bowed. A minor hairline crack approximately 1cm long in upper right corner, only visible upon close inspection; otherwise the work appears in good overall condition. Ultraviolet light reveals some retouching along very lower edge and a couple of flecks in upper right corner. Held under glass in a gilt plaster frame; unexamined out of frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Perhaps the most successful painter of the prodigious Williams family of artists, Sidney Richard Percy, the fifth son of Edward (“Old”) Williams, used only his middle names to avoid confusion with his brothers and other Williams artists of the period. In his life time he was extremely popular and his paintings highly prized. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1842 until his death in 1886.

His work falls into two categories of landscape painting: the mountainous landscapes, lakes and valleys of Scotland, Wales and the north of England; and coastal scenes showing large expanses of sandy dunes. He was a master at depicting reflected light off wet sand or the still pools of lakes. He created idyllic country scenes, often populated by cattle or solitary figures. His attention to detail, particularly earlier in his career was almost Pre-Raphaelite in its precision but the overall effect is of the more romanticized British landscape tradition. The present work, with lobster pots in the foreground and the silhouette of a distant boat, demonstrates his mastery in creating the illusion of depth. Overhead, gulls fan out beneath rolling bilious clouds which signal the departing storm as it moves away beyond the distant headland.