Harry SHELDON (British 1918-2002) , Signed watercolour, c1960s, Padstow, Cornwall.

Title: The Old Corn Store, Padstow, North Cornwall

Medium: Watercolour & body colour on paper

Signed: Yes, bottom left

Framed & Mounted: Yes

Ready to hang: Yes

Labels: Label verso giving location and artists Birkhamstead address details

Inscriptions: The biography of the artist is written by hand on verso of frame

British artist, Harry Sheldon, was a formidably talented artist. The Scotsman wrote in his obituary that he was an outstanding war artist of his time…his legacy is assured for the nation’.

EDUCATION

* 1932 Scholarship to Stockton School of Art

* Attended Whitworth School of Art, Manchester

* Salford School of Art where he studied under LS LOWRY

CAREER

Sheldon became a professional artist after being talent spotted in 1943 by the Commander in Chief of India , General Sir Claude Auchinleck, whilst serving with the 8th Gurkha Rifles. Whilst waiting to be invalided out he had an unofficial art exhibition of his work. Auchinleck, a fellow artist, asked him to be his official war artist. Sheldon went on to paint the key figures of the Raj including Louis MOUNTBATTEN. The allied supremo for his part, always held that a Harry Sheldon work of art was one of his favourite possessions.

Sheldon was very chuffed to be asked and kept the letter throughout his life. Unfortunately for him, Auchinleck would not release him. Unbeknown to him at the time, he captured the key figures of the last days of the Raj.

In 1945 he was flown home to oversee his own war art exhibition in London.

In 1953 he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts

EXHIBITED

Royal Society of Portrait Painters

Royal Watercolour Society

He is listed on ArtU.K.org

COLLECTIONS

The Gurkha Museum, Winchester, and many Indian Army and Pakistani military museums hold examples of his work. Sheldon went on to have solo exhibitions from Delhi to Cairo and in London.

Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)

There is no doubt that Harry Sheldon was an accomplished artist. His attention to detail and skill of capturing light is second to none.

This watercolour of Padstow Harbour is of no exception. The three boats depicted are conducted in minute detail down to the names of each boat, for example, Eire Maureen, based locally in Padstow. On the right is depicted ‘The Old Corn Store’ on the edge of the harbour. It’s a well known local landmark now converted into a stunning holiday let and renamed ‘The Grain Store’, Padstow.

Overall, a lovely example of a well known Cornish beauty spot by an internationally renowned artist. Ready to hang, professionally framed and mounted.

* NB

After research online there appears to be some confusion regarding Harry Sheldon’s dates. Some sites give his birth year as 1923., others as 1917 or 1918. After searching Ancestry online and other sites including his official obituaries it confirms he was born in 1918 and died in 2002 aged 84.