Benjamin Williams Leader, R.A.

Richard Green, London, 1975;
Private Collection

STRUCTURE This picture is relined and in excellent condition with bright colouring throughout. There are no signs of craquelure and the paint surface appears to be stable. The picture is clean and ready to hang. The colouring is richer and warmer than the catalogue illustration suggests. UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT There are very minor flecked retouchings in the sky and a small area of retouching close to the bottom edge of the canvas. These retouchings appear to be cosmetic and have been very well applied. They are not visible to the naked eye and not excessive for a picture of this age. FRAME This picture is contained in a moulded plaster sweep frame in good condition.
"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."

On the Banks of the Ivy O! depicts the village of Bredon near Tewksbury in Worcestershire on the banks of the river Avon. The church on the right was based upon the parish church of St Giles at Bredon which dates from between 1190 and 1350. The interior of the church contains medieval tiles, the final resting place of an unnamed Crusader's heart, and a fourteenth century coffin lid.

In 1882 Leader exhibited the first version of Morning, The Banks of the Ivy O (Christie's, 2 November 1990, lot 219) at the Royal Academy. The slightly larger 1882 picture differs from the present picture in minor details. The trees in the 1882 version are bereft of their leaves and there are differences to the vegetation on the bank in the foreground. The main difference between the pictures is that in 1883 Leader placed a cottage at right-angles to the river behind the line of trees, which had not appeared in the earlier picture. This is indicative of Leader's landscapes in which he often adapted the view to suit the composition. 

The title is taken from the old song 'Pretty Peggy' which had been published in Pretty Peggy and Other Ballads in 1880;

It was down by the banks of the Ivy O
It was down by the banks of the Ivy O
Our Captain fell in love with a lady like a dove,  
And they called her name Pretty Peggy 'O