William EyreA Gentleman’s Travels

William Eyre (1891-1979) was a landscape painter of extraordinary talent

who exhibited at the Croydon Art Society for the best part of twenty years,

with the likes of Hesketh Hubbard, PRBA, ROI, FSA, Jack Merriott, RI, William

Watkins, RI, William Fryer and Cicely Mary Barker.

In 1971, Eyre moved to North Wales where he remained for the rest of

his life, however he still regularly contributed to the Croydon Art Society’s

exhibitions, although he no longer put his works up for sale. His works

record the myriad of places that he visited, not only in England but on

the Continent, and cover all seasons, but it was the sublime landscapes

of Northern Wales that proved to be his final and most haunting inspiration;

he died there in 1979.

Eyre’s works show considerable skill in the handling of both oil and

watercolour, two very different mediums, and his landscapes have even

been likened to Whistler. His confidence, sense of drama and simplicity

of technique has also drawn comparisons with Cotman and there is a

clear link to be made with the work of Edward Seago.

This collection of works by Eyre represents a large proportion of the

artist’s studio, purchased from a descendent in South Africa where

they have been in store for the past two decades. We are delighted to

offer this exhibition for sale and hope that it revives an interest in this

largely unrecorded artist. All works are available for purchase from the

publication of this brochure.

William EyreA Gentleman’s Travels

Front cover: No 25 Beach Scene, North Wales (detail)Left: No 46 The Square, Saint Jean de Luz (detail)

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Right: No 4 Cottages in Donegal (detail)

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Left: No 16 On the Orwell with Rainbow (detail)

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Right: No 36 Pasturelands, Norfolk (detail)

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“William Eyre’s Nocturne Chelsea Reach inevitably reminded me of Whistler’snight scenes…the artist discovered in the subject something which transcendsrepresentation, that he had in fact presented the very essence of the scene.” CROYDON ART SOCIETY’S 1971 EXHIBTION REVIEW

NO STOCK NO TITLE MEDIUM DIMENSIONS (CM)

1 P2I0177 Cottages by the pond Watercolour 36.8 x 50.82 P2I0178 Moored boats by a riverbank Watercolour 39.4 x 58.43 P2I0179 Norfolk Scene, Summer After Rain Watercolour 38.1 x 55.94 P2I0180 Cottages in Donegal Watercolour 39.4 x 58.45 P2I0181 Canal Scene, Venice wirh Chiesa dei Gesuiti Watercolour 38.1 x 55.96 P2I0182 A Dutch meadow in spring Watercolour 38.1 x 55.97 P2I0186 Estuary Scene Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9 8 P2I0183 Cader Idris, North Wales Watercolour 47 x 63.5 9 P2I0184 At the edge of the pool Watercolour 47 x 60.9

10 P2I0185 Eernewoude, Holland Watercolour 27.9 x 38.1 11 P2I0187 Cottages in Donegal Watercolour 20.3 x 27.9 12 P2H0581 Sailing barges on the Orwell Oil on board 47 x 60.9 13 P2H0583 Norwich from Mousehold Heath Oil on board 47 x 60.9 14 P2H0584 May time, County Galway Oil on board 38.1 x 55.9 15 P2H0585 Fishing Boats, Honfleur Oil on board 38.1 x 55.9 16 P2H0586 On the Orwell with rainbow Oil on board 40.6 x 60.9 17 P2H0587 Ullapoll Oil on board 40.6 x 60.9 18 P2H0588 The village in the dunes Oil on board 40.6 x 60.9 19 P2H0589 The Valley, Winter Oil on board 47 x 60.9 20 P2H0590 Loch Ryan, Galloway Oil on board 47 x 60.9 21 P2H0592 A sunny morning off the Suffolk coast Oil on board 40.6 x 60.9 22 P2H0593 Cottages by the sea Oil on board 40.6 x 60.9 23 P2H0594 Thames Barges Oil on board 40.6 x 60.9 24 P2H0595 Off the Suffolk Coast Oil on board 47 x 60.9 25 P2H0596 Beach Scene, North Wales Oil on board 47 x 60.9 26 P2H0597 Paris, with 'Les Invalides' in background Oil on board 48 x 60.9 27 P2H0598 Watendlath, Cumberland Oil on board 49 x 60.9 28 P2H0599 Dutch Waterway, on the river Zaon Oil on board 38.1 x 55.9 29 P2H0600 The Salute, Venice – towards evening, after rain Oil on board 40.6 x 60.9 30 P2H0601 Flooded Marshlands, Winter Oil on board 47 x 60.9 31 P2H0602 Tuileries Gardens, Paris Oil on board 47 x 60.9 32 P2H0603 Molen de Haas, Zierikzee Oil on board 38.1 x 55.9 33 P2H0604 Near Ipswich Oil on board 49 x 60.9 34 P2H0605 Criccieth Oil on board 49 x 60.9 35 P2H0606 Harbour Scene, North Wales Oil on board 49 x 60.9 36 P2H0607 Pasturelands, Norfolk Oil on board 49 x 60.9 37 P2H0608 The Way to the Farm Oil on board 49 x 60.9 38 P2I0044 Coastal Village Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9 39 P2I0045 The Bridge Watercolour 25.4 x 35.6 40 P2I0046 Tunney Fishers, Saint Jean de Luz Watercolour 27.9 x 38.1 41 P2I0047 Fishing boats in port Watercolour 27.9 x 38.1 42 P2I0048 Beach scene, low tide Watercolour 25.4 x 35.6 43 P2I0049 River with bridge Watercolour 20.3 x 27.9 44 P2I0050 On the road, Winter Watercolour 27.9 x 38.1 45 P2I0051 Outside Venice Watercolour 20.3 x 27.9 46 P2I0052 The Square, Saint Jean de Luz Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9 47 P2I0053 Beached Boats Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9 48 P2I0054 Windmill Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9 49 P2I0055 Summer – Penmaenpool, North Wales Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9 50 P2I0056 River Scene, South of France Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9 51 P2I0057 River Scene, Northern Holland Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9 52 P2I0058 Treviso, Venice Watercolour 24.13 x 30.5 53 P2I0059 Evening in Surrey Watercolour 27.9 x 38.1 54 P2I0060 Ashness Bridge, near Keswick Watercolour 30.5 x 38.1 55 P2I0061 Near Connemara, Ireland Watercolour 43.2 x 71.1 56 P2I0063 River Scene with Barges Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9 57 P2I0064 Fisherman by a Bridge Watercolour 38.1 x 55.9

James Harvey British Art15 Langton StreetChelseaLondon SW10 0JL

info@jhba.co.uk www.jamesharveybritishart.com Tel +44(0)20 7352 0015