William Joseph Wadham (1863–1950) - Early 20thC Watercolour Cows By The River

Description

A charming early 20th Century watercolour scene showing a milk maid, carrying a stick and pail, waiting for her cows, who have stopped for a drink at a small river. The artist has signed to the lower right corner and the painting has been handsomely presented in a 20th Century gilt frame with wide gilt slip. On wove.

Condition

The condition is typical for a picture of this age including some discolouration. Two small holes to the lower right edge. Some scuffing and losses to the frame.

Size

71 x 46cm (28" x 18.1")
Framed Size: 69 x 93cm (27.2" x 36.6")

Artist Biography

Brothers William Joseph Wadham (1863–1950) was an English painter in watercolors who was active in Australia in the late 19th century.
Wadham and Sinclair were sons of Benjamin Brassett (or Braffat) Wadham (1816–1904). Joseph learnt to paint at his father's side, and accompanied him on his many sketching trips throughout England and Wales. Joseph had his first picture accepted for exhibition by the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, at age 14. In 1885 he left for Australia.

Alfred studied at the Liverpool Academy of Arts and left for Melbourne, Australia, in 1887, to join his brother. After a brief stay they moved to Adelaide, and joined the South Australian Society of Arts. They had exhibitions in Melbourne in 1889 and 1895.
They set up a gallery "Wadham & Sinclair's Fine Art Institute" on Grenfell Street where they showed their works and ran art classes. In 1891 they moved their studio to Mutual Chambers, King William Street, and had several art classes running.
They had a sketching holiday in New Zealand in 1896, and on their return moved their studio to new premises in the Widows Funds Building, Grenfell Street. Joseph Wadham took an exhibition to Perth in 1896 and 1897, touring the goldfields and making further sketches.
Joseph stayed longer in Australia, married and had several children, but he had great ambitions, and made several trips to South African, Canada and New Zealand painting, exhibiting and organising exhibitors for an exhibition of Dominion art in 1897, which was attended by the Prince of Wales, and 1898. He helped found the Royal British Colonial Society of Artists, which had a successful exhibition in 1902.
In the early 1920s Wadham opened the Wadham Art Gallery in Sydney, which carried works by a large number of artists, the best-known being Sir John Millais, as well as himself. He sold up and returned to England in 1923.