A pair, each signed and dated 1776
Pen and brown ink and watercolour, one heightened
with white, in the original carved frames
Each 28 by 38 cms., 11 by 15 in.
These watercolours are a rare survival
and an important record of the close friendship between the amateur artist and
landowner Bampfylde and Henry Hoare (1705-1785), the creator of the
world-famous landscape garden at Stourhead. Bampfylde was a frequent visitor to
Stourhead over many years, copying pictures in the Hoare collection and
painting and drawing views of the garden and surrounding countryside.
Bampfylde created his own landscape
garden at his estate at Hestercombe in Somerset in the years after 1750. The
gardens at Hestercombe and Stourhead progressed contemporaneously, and it seems
clear that the estate owners made contributions to each other gardens;
certainly the success of Bampfylde’s cascade at Hestercombe was followed by one
he helped to designed at Stourhead in 165. Many of Bampfylde’s drawings remain
at Stourhead, which is now the property of the National Trust.
His earliest known drawing of Stourhead
is the view of the Grotto, dated 1753, now in the British Museum. Bampfylde
recorded the appearance of the garden at Stourhead over many years, and many of
his watercolours done there are now in an album in the Victoria and Albert
Museum, London (E. 303-433.1949). These watercolours are the most accurate
record of the garden during the period 1760 to 1780. Two large watercolours of
Stourhead by Bampfylde, each engraved by Vivares in 1777 (see Philip White, A Gentleman of Fine Taste – The Watercolours
of Coplestone Warre Bampfylde, 1995, pp.31 and 32). The watercolours must
have been painted around the same time as this pair, which are dated 1776; no
other pair of finished watercolours of the garden at Stourhead is known. The
Chinese Bridge, built of wood in 1749, was removed by Sir Richard Colt Hoare
(1758-1838), who wished to give the garden a more classical appearance. Other
views of the Chinese Bridge are in the Victoria and Albert Museum album. The
Pantheon, which still stands, was designed by Henry Flitcroft in 1753.
A pair, each signed and dated 1776
Pen and brown ink and watercolour, one heightened
with white, in the original carved frames
Each 28 by 38 cms., 11 by 15 in.
These watercolours are a rare survival
and an important record of the close friendship between the amateur artist and
landowner Bampfylde and Henry Hoare (1705-1785), the creator of the
world-famous landscape garden at Stourhead. Bampfylde was a frequent visitor to
Stourhead over many years, copying pictures in the Hoare collection and
painting and drawing views of the garden and surrounding countryside.
Bampfylde created his own landscape
garden at his estate at Hestercombe in Somerset in the years after 1750. The
gardens at Hestercombe and Stourhead progressed contemporaneously, and it seems
clear that the estate owners made contributions to each other gardens;
certainly the success of Bampfylde’s cascade at Hestercombe was followed by one
he helped to designed at Stourhead in 165. Many of Bampfylde’s drawings remain
at Stourhead, which is now the property of the National Trust.
His earliest known drawing of Stourhead
is the view of the Grotto, dated 1753, now in the British Museum. Bampfylde
recorded the appearance of the garden at Stourhead over many years, and many of
his watercolours done there are now in an album in the Victoria and Albert
Museum, London (E. 303-433.1949). These watercolours are the most accurate
record of the garden during the period 1760 to 1780. Two large watercolours of
Stourhead by Bampfylde, each engraved by Vivares in 1777 (see Philip White, A Gentleman of Fine Taste – The Watercolours
of Coplestone Warre Bampfylde, 1995, pp.31 and 32). The watercolours must
have been painted around the same time as this pair, which are dated 1776; no
other pair of finished watercolours of the garden at Stourhead is known. The
Chinese Bridge, built of wood in 1749, was removed by Sir Richard Colt Hoare
(1758-1838), who wished to give the garden a more classical appearance. Other
views of the Chinese Bridge are in the Victoria and Albert Museum album. The
Pantheon, which still stands, was designed by Henry Flitcroft in 1753.