Not currently on display at the V&A

A Devon footbridge

Oil Painting
1872 (painted)
Artist/Maker
Oakes, John Wright (painter (artist))

Oil painting, 'A Devon Footbridge', John Wright Oakes, 1872


Object details

Category
Paintings
Object type
Oil painting
Titles
  • A Devon footbridge (generic title)
  • The foot bridge, border of Dartmoor (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Oil on canvas
Oil Paint
Canvas
Oil Painting
Brief description
Oil painting, 'A Devon Footbridge', John Wright Oakes, 1872
Dimensions
  • Estimate height: 48.5in
  • Estimate width: 66in
Dimensions taken from Summary catalogue of British Paintings, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1973
Styles
British School
Victorian
Marks and inscriptions
'J Oakes 1872' (Signed and dated by the artist)
Credit line
Given by Sir Edwin Durning-Lawrence, Bt
Object history
Given by Sir Edwin Durning-Lawrence, Bt, 1901

Historical significance: John Wright Oakes (1820-1887) studied art at the Liverpool Mechanics' Institute. He began painting landscapes in about 1843; his favourite locations were in Scotland, Ireland, Devon and Wales, although he also made a tour of Switzerland. Oakes began exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1848, and was represented there virtually every year until his death. He was elected Associate of the Royal Academy in 1876.

Oakes was influenced by the naturalistic style of the highly successful landscape painters B. W. Leader and Vicat Cole. He was known for his depiction of atmospheric light effects, as can be seen in this painting, where shafts of sunlight illuminate the river and the bank.

This painting is probably identical with that exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1872 under the title The foot bridge, border of Dartmoor.
Subject depicted
Footbridges
Place depicted
Devon
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
632-1901

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Record createdApril 30, 2007
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O134317/a-devon-footbridge-oil-painting-oakes-john-wright/
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