Sir David Wilkie RA, Study for 'Sheepwashing'

Study for 'Sheepwashing', ca. 1816

Sir David Wilkie RA (1785 - 1841)

RA Collection: Art

These drawings by Sir David Wilkie are all mounted in an album of studies probably put together by the artist's brother. According to the artist and Royal Academy librarian Solomon Hart 'they are a portion of a series of sketches of pictures, which he [Wilkie] from time to time sent to a brother, an officer in the Indian Army. He, it seems, used to give them to his brother-officers' children, who bedaubed them with common watercolours. Such as escaped I had the good fortune to acquire for the Academy, from a sister of some of these juvenile artists' (Alexander Brodie ed., The Reminiscences of Solomon Alexander Hart R.A., London, 1882, p.66)

Included in the album are sketches relating to some of Wilkie's best-known works including 'The Penny Wedding' (1818; Royal collection), 'The Breakfast' (1817; Private collection) and 'Chelsea Pensioners Reading the Gazette of the Battle of Waterloo' (1818-22, Apsley House).

All objects in this group

Object details

Title
Study for 'Sheepwashing'
Artist/designer
Sir David Wilkie RA (1785 - 1841)
Date
ca. 1816
Object type
Drawing
Medium
Watercolour on cream laid paper
Dimensions

157 mm x 185 mm

Collection
Royal Academy of Arts
Object number
03/6996
Acquisition
Purchased from Sophy M. Patton in 1871 and Solomon Alexander Hart RA in 1871
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