William Callow (1812-1908) - Swansea Bay

This impressive watercolour by Callow was painted on a tour of South Wales in 1861. There were two watercolours titled 'Swansea Bay' at an exhibition of the artist's work at the Walker's Galleries in 1927 with this being one of the pictures. The second work is now in the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and Museum in Swansea. A recent watercolour by Callow sold by the dealer Guy Peppiatt Fine Art was titled 'Oystermouth Mouth Castle, Swansea Bay'. It is dated 13 August 1861 which places it closely with our work and certainly from the same sketching trip.
 
Callow has created a sweeping panorama of Swansea Bay with a lone ship moored just off the coast. It shows his skill as both a landscape and marine artist. This watercolour comes with excellent provenance having been exhibited and also sold through Thomas Agnew & Sons.
 
Medium: watercolour on paper, signed l.l. 'W. Callow' and inscribed 'Aug 1861 Swansea' (possible date of 10th?), 18.3 x 54.4 cm, framed (38.5 x 74.5cm).
 
Exhibited: Walker's Galleries, New Bond Street, London, April 1927 (as part of a Callow exhibition which included a second watercolour of Swansea Bay which is now in the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and Museum in Swansea).
 
Provenance: Walker's Galleries, New Bond Street, London, April 1927; Thos Agnew & Sons, London (label verso, no 17075).
 
Bibliography:
 
[1] H.M. Cundall (ed.), William Callow, An Autobiography, London (1908).
 
Condition report: generally very good for its age. The watercolour has a recent acid free triple mount. The watercolour has a small tear on the left hand side about a third of the way up and also a small tear in the sky near in the top in the middle. Both are not noticeable when viewed from a distance. Please see photos.