Bolton Abbey, Watercolour, Joseph West

We have for sale a large and very attractive watercolour painting of Bolton Abbey by the excellent Yorkshire artist Joseph West (1881-1958). This very attractive painting depicts Bolton Abbey on a summer day as viewed from the North and across the bend of the River Wharfe from the West river bank. The view is immediately recognisable by anyone who is familiar with the area. The painting is signed J West and dated 1910 to the bottom right hand corner. This dates the painting to about the time that Joseph West became a full time artist and opened his first studio in Keighley. The paining is 14 inches (35.5cm) high by 20.5 inches (52cm) wide excluding the frame and is in an excellent original condition and seems to be presented in its original frame, although we have had the painting remounted. The frame is in a good hanging condition but does show some age related wear. About the Artist The well respected Yorkshire artist Joseph West was born in Farnhill near Skipton but lived with his wife Sally in Silsden. He initially trained and worked as a house painting formed a business partnership in Silsden with a Jim Murgatroyd. By 1910 this business partnership had been dissolved and Joseph had opened a studio in Keighley. By 1911 he referred to himself as a painter/artist in the Census. He held an annual exhibition at Riby’s Art Gallery, Keighley but also exhibited at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, Hull Art Gallery, the Norfolk Exhibition at Yarmouth, Cartwright Hall - Bradford, the Walker Gallery - Liverpool, The Royal West England Academy and the Royal Cambrian Academy. He was also elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Art. Joseph West painted landscapes and seascapes, mostly of the Yorkshire Dales, the Yorshire Coast and the Norfolk Broads. He was a frequent visitor to Whitby and consequently became a member of the Fylingdales Group of artists. He was commissioned to paint numerous paintings including 80 works for Bolton Council and at least 3 Dioramas, one each for Bolton Civic Centre, Tolson Memorial Museum and Keighley Museum.