Low Fell, from Lanthwaite Hill — Original pen-and-ink landscape drawing, Lake District, Cumbria — Signed Alfred Wainwright (1907–1991)
Subject and medium
A beautifully observed Lake District view of Low Fell (Cumbria), drawn from near the summit of Lanthwaite Hill—an admired Wainwright vantage that combines pastoral field geometry with the fell’s distinctive mass and ridge line. Executed in pen and ink on paper, the medium most closely associated with Wainwright’s best-known output and the visual language of his Lakeland publications.
Composition and technique
A quietly powerful example of Wainwright’s draughtsmanship: precise, economical, and richly descriptive without becoming overworked. Tonal depth is achieved entirely through line density, direction, and layered hatching, rather than wash—giving the scene a timeless clarity.
In the foreground, darker, more emphatic mark-making anchors woodland and scrub, while the mid-ground opens into a measured patchwork of fields
... and boundaries that reads almost cartographically. The fell itself is constructed through controlled cross-hatching and contour-led linework, conveying slope, texture, and distance with remarkable efficiency. Above, the sky is treated with light, restrained strokes—suggesting cloud movement while keeping the landscape dominant. The absence of figures (typical of Wainwright) lends the image a contemplative stillness: the land, and only the land, holds the stage.
Historical significance
This composition is documented as “Drawing 231: Low Fell, from Lanthwaite Hill.” Reference notes record the viewpoint close to the summit of Lanthwaite Hill and, importantly, that the view forms the title page of the Low Fell chapter in The Western Fells.
Wainwright’s seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells was produced from hand-made pen-and-ink manuscript pages; the first publication run spans 1955–1966. The Western Fells (Book Seven) was first published in 1966.
Working date (mid-1960s): Because this view is tied to the Low Fell chapter/title-page usage in The Western Fells (1966), the most defensible working date for a guide-era original drawing of this composition is c. 1964–1966, prior to publication.
About the artist
Alfred Wainwright MBE (1907–1991) is one of Britain’s most loved fell-writers and landscape draughtsmen. His Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, created as fully handwritten and hand-illustrated manuscript pages, became the definitive cultural document of Lakeland walking and remains highly collected.
Original Wainwright works have demonstrated strong market demand; for example, a Wainwright pen-and-ink sketch achieved Ł10,200 at auction in 2020, reported at the time as a record price for his artwork.
Signed and titled
Signed in pencil “A Wainwright” lower right, and titled “LOW FELL” lower left.
Framed
Mounted with a recently fitted white border mat for a clean, gallery-style presentation
Framed in a Larson Juhl baroque-style black lacquered Radiata Pine moulding
Protected by AR70 museum-grade glass for excellent clarity and UV protection
Dimensions (framed)
47.2 cm (H) × 52 cm (W) × 5.5 cm (D)
Provenance
Acquired from a private Cumbria collection, then through a notable, long-established Cumbria auction house 1818, and accompanied by a Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD label verso. Private exhibition at the Famous Lord Hill Museum in Feb 2026.
Literature linkage / identification: The composition is documented as Drawing 231: “Low Fell, from Lanthwaite Hill,” recorded as forming the title page of the Low Fell chapter in The Western Fells (first published 1966), supporting the mid-1960s dating framework. We include a copy of the book with this masterpiece.
Why you will love it
Museum-grade monochrome presence—timeless, elegant, and interior-friendly
A genuine Lakeland subject with strong Wainwright collector appeal
Historically anchored to Wainwright’s mid-1960s guide era (pre-1966 publication context)
Signed and title
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Internal Reference: 762
Antique ID Number (AIDN): SA1188510
Dateline of this antique is 1960
Height is 47.2cm (18.6inches)Width is 52cm (20.5inches)Depth is 5.5cm (2.2inches)
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