Noel Harry Leaver RCA (1889-1951) - Watercolour, Town Centre with a Spire

Description

A fine and notable street scene in watercolour with gouache details, by the British painter Noel Harry Leaver RCA (1889-1951). In the artist's typical compositional style, this example is unusual in the almost post-impressionistic use of colour. Leaver depicts a continental town centre, with timber-framed houses and a tall church spire, adding both depth and scale.

With striking highlights of vibrant colour, the artist updates the typical Picturesque qualities of the composition. He has a fine command of the medium, with subtle shadowing and a delicate treatment of light.

Handsomely presented in a washline mount and gilt wooden frame, as shown. Signed to the lower left corner.

On watercolour paper.

Condition

Overall the condition is very good. There is some minor even surface discolouration. The mount and frame are in fine condition.

Size

37 x 26.2cm (14.6" x 10.3")
Framed Size: 54.7 x 44.2cm (21.5" x 17.4")

Artist Biography

Noel Harry Leaver (1889-1951) was a painter born at Austick, near North Settle, Yorkshire, but is better known as a Burnley artist, the town in which he lived and worked for most of his life. He is most famous as the painter of distinctive North African views. A talented artist, he was one of the youngest ever pupils of the Royal College of Art when he started his studies there at age sixteen, graduating in 1910 having won several scholarships and travel bursaries, using them to travel to visit Europe and North Africa. Leaver returned from Italy in 1912 to take up the first of his teaching posts at the Halifax School of Art, where he worked until 1915. After this he taught at the Burnley School of Art until the mid 1930’s.

His earlier works in are usually signed in mixed lower & upper case 'Noel H LEAVER ARCA' and are dated 1920-1929. His later works were usually signed in capitals 'NOEL H LEAVER', without the ARCA. A northern artist called Cyril Hardy painted in a similar style and his painting is sometimes confused with Leaver’s. Much of his work is in collection of the Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum, Burnley, where an exhibition of his work was held in February 2004.