“A Quiet Pool, North Wales” — Victorian Welsh River Landscape Oil Painting by Thomas Spinks (C. 1890), River Conwy

Details

Description

“A Quiet Pool, North Wales” — Victorian Welsh River Landscape Oil Painting by Thomas Spinks (c. 1890), River Conwy

Overview
… Read more “A Quiet Pool, North Wales” — Victorian Welsh River Landscape Oil Painting by Thomas Spinks (c. 1890), River Conwy

Overview
A refined late 19th century British Victorian oil on canvas landscape by Thomas Spinks (1847–1927) depicting a calm, reflective reach of the River Conwy in North Wales. Painted during the artist’s celebrated Welsh period, this tranquil river scene combines pastoral detail with dramatic weather—an enduring look associated with the Conwy Valley and the wider Bettws-y-Coed school of painting.

Subject & Medium
Original Victorian landscape oil painting
Oil on canvas
Location depicted: River Conwy in North Wales

Composition & Technique
The composition centers on a quiet pool of the river, rendered with convincing depth and gentle movement. Rugged stone boulders structure the left bank, while the right side softens into tree cover and a small clearing where two sheep graze, adding scale and rural charm. A warm golden-brown foreground tree anchors the scene against cooler greens and greys, while distant hills recede into the atmosphere. Overhead, bright cloud breaks and blue sky are balanced by a gathering storm cloud, capturing the changeable character of Welsh weather. The palette is rich yet natural—greens, greys, earth tones, ochres, and sky blues—showing confident late Victorian handling of paint.

Artist
Thomas Spinks (1847–1927) was an established British landscape painter active from the late 19th into the early 20th century. He exhibited between 1880 and 1907, including showings associated with major venues such as the Royal Academy, Walker Art Gallery (Liverpool), and Manchester Art Gallery. In 1889 he relocated to Bettws-y-Coed, a pivotal move that shaped his most sought-after Welsh river and mountain landscapes.

Signature
Signed “T. Spinks” in the lower corner.

Frame
Presented in a period-appropriate gilt frame that complements the warmth and depth of the painting. Ready to hang.

Dimensions (Framed, cm)
Height: 46.5 cm
Width: 62 cm
Depth: 5.5 cm

Provenance & Labels
The reverse bears a Prestwich Fine Art label with handwritten details, with provenance noted as a private collection via the Lake District auction house Mitchells, and later curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD. The original canvas also retains a faint but legible maker’s stamp: “WINSOR & NEWTON / LONDON”, consistent with professional late 19th century materials.


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