“Cattle Watering” – Large Oil on Canvas by William Widgery

“Cattle Watering” – A quite striking oil painting on canvas by William Widgery (1822-1893). William Widgery was an Exeter based landscape and animal painter. Initially he trained as a stone mason, then self-taught became an artist. He made a significant amount of money reproducing copies of Landseer’s Monarch of the Glen, but then took up art as a profession and went his own way thereafter. He largely painted scenery in and around Devon and Cornwall, especially Dartmoor, and was much sought after by local repute. Most of his paintings have animals, such as in this case – cattle, somewhere in his compositions. He exhibited in London at Suffolk Street, in 1866. He visited Italy and Switzerland so paintings exist of his travels to these areas. He is listed in The Dictionary of Victorian Painters by Christopher Wood. Signed and dated: 1862. Dimensions: Frame: (w) 32.5 ins (83 cm) x (h) 43.5 ins (110 cm) x (d) 2.75 ins (7cm)