Alfred Mudge fl. 1862-1877

With its magnificent view over the Thames valley towards Windsor, Richmond Hill was a prime location for residences just beyond the boundaries of London. Eton Terrace which is here depicted in Alfred Mudge’s masterpiece, boasted some of the finest houses in Richmond, including Doughty House built in 1769, The Wick built in 1775, Wick House and Ancaster House both built in 1772. Number 3 was designed by Sir Robert Taylor for Christopher Blanchard a famous maker of playing cards for George III and Wick House was built by Sir William Chambers for Sir Joshua Reynolds.

The Terrace at Richmond captures the lively spirit and bustle of the avenue in front of the terrace with the slopes of Richmond Hill falling away to the right. The contrast between town and city is strong in these painting, which juxtaposes the pasture grazed by horses and sheep and the elegant glamour of the pedestrian ladies in their finery and the children with their games. The most striking contrast between rural simplicity and lower class strife and urban chic and the pursuit of pleasure, can be made with the pet monkey dressed in a red riding cloak and mounted on a disgruntled collie and the peddler trying to sell a model sailing boat to a less than interested little girl. The social history subject of this picture is similar to that of Ford Madox Brown’s well-known painting Work of 1863 (Manchester City Museum and Art Gallery).