John Martin 1789-1854

Martin moved to London in 1806 at the age of seventeen, and he lived there for the rest of his life.  It is not surprising, therefore, that almost all of his named landscapes were of the immediate environs of London such as Hanger Hill, Wimbledon, Clapham Common, Richmond, and the Brent valley.  From 1827 he became passionately interested in working for the improvement of the London docks and sewers, and he spent a great deal of time travelling around London whilst working out his various schemes for supplying London with water.  One of his plans was to pump water to a large reservoir at Oliver's Mount in Richmond Park and to conduct it through large pipes to Barnes Common.  Richmond therefore became a favourite place to visit, and particularly in the 1840's he exhibited a number of views in the park or looking towards the Thames.  This beautiful picture is in the tradition of many artists who were captivated by the view from Siberechts in the seventeenth century to Turner and Hofland in the early nineteenth century.