Oil painting, 'On the Okement, Devon', William Traies (1789-1872), 1861

Oil painting

Bequeathed by John M. Parsons

Bequeathed by John M. Parsons, 1870


William Traies was born at Crediton, Devon in 1789. In his early years he worked as a clerk at the Post Office in Exeter but spent much of his free time sketching with his friend and fellow artist John Gendall in the surrounding localities. One of his earliest successful artistic efforts were the illustrations he executed for a book on natural history written by a Scottish physician, Dr Neal. Through walking in the country and sketching Traies developed a great knowledge of the areas of Devon in which he lived and visited. His intimate knowledge of his landscape subjects resulted in art that was accurate, atmospheric and evocative, leading to his securing a number of faithful patrons in Devon. He was known in that county and further afield as the ‘Claude of Devon.’ Although the majority of his fame and recognition was specific to Devon and the surrounding counties Traies also made forays into the London art scene. He displayed four landscape works at the Royal Academy: one in 1817, two in 1822 and one in 1845. George Pycroft, in his book Art in Devonshire, writes of Traies thus, ‘he contrived to bathe his distances in atmosphere and to get light and space in his skies in a way few artists could excel. His ravines and waterfalls in the Ruysdael style will always be valued, but there is a want of lightness and variety of tint in his foliage, which gives the heaviness to it which was the fault of the landscape painters of the age in which he lived.’(1) On the Okement, Devon is a good example of Traies’ work as it illustrates his masterful use of light both in the brightness of the expansive sky and in the soft luminence that bathes the riverbanks, embuing the scene with the tranquil atmosphere of the place. Traies had two sons, the second of which, Frank Traies, was also a painter predominently known for depicting animal subjects. Frank Traies died early in life and, as such, never fulfilled his artistic potential. His death was an enduring sadness to his father. William Traies died at his residence in Exeter on 23rd April 1872.

Citations
1) George Pycroft, Art in Devonshire (Exeter and London: Henry S. Eland and Hamilton, Adams & Co., 1883), p.148

540-1870