Well painted original oil by the listed London artist Elias Childe (fl. 1798 - 1848) painted circa 1830.

Depicting the the view across the river Thames from Battersea towards Chelsea reach, with the low sun illuminating the church tower of Chelsea Old Church on the north bank and further west, the tall tower of Chelsea Waterworks. Various craft, including Thames Barges sail up and down the river, while two fishermen in a row boat are netting fish in the foreground.
There was originally a cupola atop the church tower, which was removed in 1824 when the new St. Luke's Church was built - it is not seen in this painting, which dates it to after 1824.

Signed lower right "E Childe".

Oils on a mahogany panel, in a modern gilt wood frame.

Image size 27cm x 37.5cm; frame size 33cm x 43.5cm. 

Painting in excellent original condition, some stable craquelure along the lower section of the painting, elements of which appear to have been over painted (see photos). Frame with some very slight nicks and scratches (see photos).

Delivered ready to hang.

Comes with our Certificate of Authenticity - guaranteed authentic and original. 

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Elias Childe fl. 1798 – 1848

British landscape and marine painter in oils and watercolours.

Elias Childe exhibited extensively at the major London galleries of his day, yet all that we know of him comes from his exhibition and later auction records. In total he showed 495 works in London exhibitions, including 59 at the Royal Academy, 114 at the British Institution and 314 in the Suffolk Street Galleries. He lived in London and most of his exhibited views were of the countryside and coast of Kent and Sussex, in addition to a number of Thames and other river scenes.

In the 19th century, Chelsea became a famous art haven driven by low land costs, beautiful riverside views, and new large artist studios. Key figures included J.M.W. Turner who lived here in his later years, followed by James McNeill Whistler, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

Chelsea Old Church.

As early as the fourth millennium BC this spot on the river Thames was a place of pilgrimage, ritual offerings, and ceremonial burial. However, it was in 1120 that Pope Nicholas Breakspear granted the church to the Abbot and Monastery of Westminster. As Chelsea’s parish church, it was originally dedicated to All Saints, although by the end of the 17th century the dedication changed to St Luke. When, in 1824 Valerian Wellesley built the new St Luke’s in Sydney Street, this church became St Luke’s Parish Chapel, informally known as ‘The Old Church’.

In the 1520s, Sir Thomas More bought land between the King’s Road and the River Thames and built a large house crossing over what is now Beaufort Street. More is known to have sung in the church choir and assisted at mass. He also rebuilt the chapel on the south side of the chancel for his private use – one Holbein capital showing the date 1528. Both More’s wives are buried in the tomb which More personally designed for himself and his family on the south side of the chancel.

King Henry VIII often visited Thomas More in Chelsea and in 1536 he bought Chelsea Manor from Lord Sandys. Henry rebuilt the Manor and several of his Queens and the Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth I) and Lady Jane Grey stayed there, worshipping in the Manor’s chapel on the north side of the chancel. In the years from 1541 – 1557 Queen Catherine Howard, Anne of Cleves, and Queen Catherine Parr lived there at different times.

John Wesley preached in the same pulpit. Sir Hans Sloane worshipped here when he moved to Chelsea Manor in 1742, his vast collection of artefacts forming the foundation for the British Museum and the Chelsea Physic Garden. Elizabeth Blackwell, Mary Astell, Tobias Smollett and Henry James all worshipped here; James McNeill Whistler’s and Henry James’ funerals were held here. During the Second World War, the church was bombed to the ground and the congregation built it back again ‘as it was, where it was’.