William Fernyhough (1778-1805) - Llangollen, Wales

William Fernyhough was a Lichfield artist who may have been a pupil of John Glover. There were other artists in the area at this time who also had the surname Fernyhough and a William H Fernyhough published twelve profile portraits of Aborigines of New South Wales in 1836. [1] This may have been an ancestor.
 
This watercolour depicts a landscape in Llangollen which is a small riverside town by the River Dee in Denbighshire, Wales. The River Dee is obvious in the foreground with a ruined building further up. In the distance there appears to be a cottage and then a larger house both with chimney smoke. Llangollen is only about 80 miles from Lichfield making it easily accessible to the artist. There are few known works by Fernyhough making this a rare example. Furthermore, this watercolour was in the prestigious Iolo Williams Collection.
 
The watercolour is inscribed verso FERNYHOUGH. There is a watercolour in the William Salt Library by William Fernyhough depicting Lichfield Cathedral Close. [2] This was painted in 1800 and shows clear stylistic similarities with our work.
 
Medium: watercolour on paper, inscribed u.r. 'Llangollen hall(?)', 23.5 x 31.3cm, mounted (40.5 x 48.4cm).
 
Provenance: Iolo Williams Collection.
 
Literature:
 
[1] Huon Mallieu (2002), 'The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists up to 1920: Volume I A-L', Antique Collectors Club: Woodbridge, p.243. See entry on artist.
 
[2] William Fernyhough, Lichfield Cathedral Close, 1800, watercolour on paper, William Salt Library. See https://www.search.staffspasttrack.org.uk/Details.aspx?&ResourceID=8728&SearchType=2&ThemeID=540
 
Condition report: generally in good condition. Small amounts of foxing and time staining, please see photos.