David Gentleman is a well known British artist and illustrator. Born in 1930, he studied at St Albans School of Art and after his national service at the Royal College of Art. There he was taught among others by Edward Bawden and John Nash. Gentleman is a prolific artist, producing watercolours, lithographs, woodcuts and screenprints. He has designed stamps, coins and symbols. He has illustrated numerous books including some written by himself. One of his best known works is the platform wide mural at London Charing Cross underground station.
Gentleman is a keen observer of his immediate surroundings. He is particularly interested in the built environmental focusing on interesting architectural buildings townscapes and examines how people live within this environment. He lives and works in London and his work has been widely exhibited and can be found in major museums including the Tate, the V&A and British Museum.
This lovely lithograph is of Horstead Watermill in Norfolk. This picturesque 18th century mill tragically burnt down in 1963 and was never rebuilt. The lithograph is dated 1966 so Gentleman would have either drawn this from an existing image or it is based on an earlier drawing by his own hand. It captures the old waterboarded building really well. The muted colours are typical for Gentleman's work and the work fits in really well with the British printmaking traditions of that time.
This a a relatively early work by Gentleman and what I like particularly is the entire composition. The interesting architecture of the watermill has been given centre stage and almost creates an abstract form. The round arches at the bottom of the building contrast nicely with the pointy roof which add interest and dynamics. The dark sky and water together with the blueish green reeds at the foreground create an eerie atmosphere and accentuate the building whose heydays had long since past.