William Hatherell, the Man on the Spot - Antique Watercolour

1900 - 1920

Sold by Brave Fine Art

Description

This captivating early-20th-century watercolour by British artist William Hatherell (1855-1928) depicts a couple within a garden setting. It’s a sublime example of Hatherell’s draughtsmanship - one of the greatest British illustrators in monochrome.

This dramatic scene was produced for Good Housekeeping magazine in around 1920 and references ‘the man on the spot’, probably a short story. It’s inscribed “as then again the words came clearly to her. Surely she recognised the voice. Mais hélas la belle”. We’ve been unable to discover the original magazine but the scene seems to allude to a woman who is capable of extra-sensory perception. She’s hearing voices. Mais hélas la belle translates as ‘but alas the beauty’.

Hatherell hailed from Bristol and studied at the Royal Academy Schools. He was widely celebrated, particularly for his illustrations in black and white. His key works included 22 watercolours for Hodder's edition of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as well as numerous illustrations for magazines such as The Graphic, Good Housekeeping, and Harper's New Monthly Magazine. His works were shown at the Royal Academy between 1879 and 1904.

The Graphic magazine described him as “perhaps the greatest black and white illustrator living”.

Signed, framed and glazed.

Learn more about William Hatherell in our directory.

Medium: Watercolour on paper

Overall size: 17” x 22” / 43cm x 56cm

Year of creation: c. 1920

Condition: Artwork presents well.

Artist’s auction highlight: £13,000 achieved for an oil painting in 2019.

Physical Dimensions

Height

56cm (22.05")

Width

43cm (16.93")

Depth

2cm (0.79")

Declaration

Brave Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1920s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA940139

Description

This captivating early-20th-century watercolour by British artist William Hatherell (1855-1928) depicts a couple within a garden setting.

“

It’s a sublime example of Hatherell’s draughtsmanship - one of the greatest British illustrators in monochrome.

Brave Fine Art

fig 1. William Hatherell, The Man On The Spot - Antique Watercolour — fig 1. William Hatherell, the Man on the Spot - Antique Watercolour

This dramatic scene was produced for Good Housekeeping magazine in around 1920 and references ‘the man on the spot’, probably a short story. It’s inscribed “as then again the words came clearly to her. Surely she recognised the voice. Mais hélas la belle”. We’ve been unable to discover the original magazine but the scene seems to allude to a woman who is capable of extra-sensory perception. She’s hearing voices. Mais hélas la belle translates as ‘but alas the beauty’.

fig 2. William Hatherell, The Man On The Spot - Antique Watercolour — fig 2. William Hatherell, the Man on the Spot - Antique Watercolour

Hatherell hailed from Bristol and studied at the Royal Academy Schools. He was widely celebrated, particularly for his illustrations in black and white. His key works included 22 watercolours for Hodder's edition of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as well as numerous illustrations for magazines such as The Graphic, Good Housekeeping, and Harper's New Monthly Magazine. His works were shown at the Royal Academy between 1879 and 1904.