In 1883 the art & science writer and lecturer George Pycroft published a book titled 'Art in Devonshire', in which he observed that the county of Devon was second only to Middlesex (London) in producing artists of historical note. He writes: 'we find that our county really heads the list as an art-producing land. Of all English provincial cities, Plymouth with its neighbourhood stands first, as the parent of six painters of the highest order… viz., Sir Joshua Reynolds, Prout, Eastlake, Haydon, Northcote, and Solomon Hart, and also of Rogers and Johns, the landscape painters.' He goes on to celebrate the 19th-century Devonshire landscape painters whose work is a 'true transcript from nature' and a welcome departure from the fashionable Claudian artifice of the preceding century. He attributes this truth in landscape to 'that loveliness of the earth, the air, and the water, with which Devonshire is endowed before all the counties of our land'. Whilst Pycroft's assessment betrays his bias, it nevertheless highlights the quality of landscape painting in Devon in the 19th-century and its role in the changing nature of British landscape art.
Provenance: Mary-Rose Rogers (1928-2012) by descent from her father William Langworthy Andrews Rogers (1889-1976) of Old Traine, Modbury.
The Somerset & Wood Guarantee
It is our absolute priority that your buying experience at Somerset & Wood is of the highest quality. This extends from the accuracy of our listings and depth of research, to the diligence of our communication, and the care taken with our packing. We believe that these principles are as important for a low priced artwork as an expensive piece; we are committed to offering affordable art with high 'added value' and to keeping our prices as low as possible.
Included with your order you will receive:Certificate of Authenticity (COA) and Printed Research Notes
Supplying a COA when selling an artwork is a long-established convention. It is all the more pertinent in today's online marketplace, where as a buyer you commit to purchase without the opportunity to view and scrutinise the work. By providing a COA with every artwork, backed by our knowledge and expertise, we are vouching that a work is of the stated age and authorship.
A beautifully printed copy of the accompanying collection text is provided with all artworks that form part of a larger collection, or for listed artists an artist biography is included. This provides 'the story behind the artwork', which can be kept for future reference and enhances the value of an individual piece. Please note that on the rare occasions that an artwork is not part of a collection and has no known artist biography, no text will be included.
Free Delivery Worldwide
We are pleased to offer Free Delivery Worldwide on every order, regardless of value or destination.
Quality Packaging
We have the expertise in handling and packing required to ensure your artwork is received in the condition in which it left us. We use high quality envelopes, board, card, tubes and boxes, to give the best possible protection in transit. We believe that receiving a beautifully presented parcel in the post is still one of life's small pleasures, and we take pride in delivering this experience for our customers.
No Quibble Returns
We understand that when buying online you do not have the opportunity to scrutinise an artwork in person. We therefore offer complete assurance that you can return the artwork if it does not meet with expectation for any reason.
Colour
We take care to ensure that our descriptions and images are as accurate as possible. It is important to us that the artwork you receive meets your expectations from viewing it on screen. We produce our digital images through a colour managed workflow and colour-check the images on a calibrated screen. Please note that colours can appear slightly different depending on the calibration of the screen on which they are viewed. If there is a significant variation in colour between our image and the actual artwork we will state this in the listing. If you have any questions about colour do contact us and we will be happy to help.
Condition
Depending on paper type, some degree of ageing is to be expected and is part of the authenticity of the work. We take care to describe the condition of artworks as fully as possible in our descriptions and photographs. We list any significant condition issues, such as losses, tears, foxing, stains and age toning. For more subtle marks, irregularities or variations in tone, please consult the photographs provided as additional indication of condition. If you have any questions regarding the condition of a specific work, please contact us.
Framing
The vast majority of our stock is unframed. The framing status of an artwork is clearly stated in the artwork listing. We regret that we are not able to provide a framing or mounting service.
Copyright
We welcome requests to reproduce Somerset & Wood images. Please contact us to discuss permission providing the 'Stock number' of the artwork and details of where you wish to reproduce the image. All image reproductions must be accompanied by the photographic credit 'Image courtesy Somerset & Wood Fine Art Ltd.'
All text on this website is Copyright © Somerset & Wood Fine Art Ltd. All rights reserved. We ask that you do not copy, reproduce or use text in any way without prior permission. Any unauthorised copying will constitute an infringement of copyright. To request permission to quote text please contact us.
Valuations
We regret that we are not able to offer valuations.
Somerset & Wood was founded in 2015 near Bath, UK in the beautiful Cotswold market town of Bradford on Avon. Today the Gallery is run by founding owners Ayumi Ellingham and Olivia Nicholls. The Somerset & Wood project grew out of a desire to share our interests in art, history and design, and to champion the sometimes underrated field of British drawings and watercolours. We bring to the project combined professional arts backgrounds, in museums & galleries, art dealership and illustration. After completing a first class MA in English at the University of Cambridge and an MSc in History of Art with distinction at the University of Edinburgh, our Art Historian, Olivia Nicholls, worked for many years at the National Galleries of Scotland, and subsequently as an independent editor and art historian.
Our focus is affordable original British works on paper of the 19th and early 20th centuries-principally in watercolour, ink and graphite. Although our stock is antique, our gallery is exclusively online and provides an inclusive contemporary shopping experience, eschewing the often intimidating environment of more traditional galleries.
With over 2,500 artworks in stock, priced from under £50 to over £1,000, Somerset & Wood is a rich storehouse of 19th- and early 20th-century visual culture. Notable artists whose work we have handled include Louis-Philippe Boitard, Paul Sandby RA, Thomas Hearne, William Payne, Joshua Cristall POWS, Richard Westmacott RA, Nicolas-Martin Petit, Joseph Powell PNWS, David Cox OWS, William Turner of Oxford, Henry Barlow Carter, Paul Jacob Naftel RWS, Frank Brangwyn RA RWS RBA, Conrad H.R. Carelli, Winifred Sandys and Alice Des Clayes ARCA. At the same time, we recognise that value is as much about authentic personal connection as it is about the machinations of the art world. We have equal interest in researching and bringing lesser-known artists into prominence, in serving collectors of items of local historical interest and in reuniting family members with their ancestors' lost work.
We present our large volume of stock in carefully curated collections, which help provide context and tell the 'story behind the picture'. We believe in offering in-depth research and explanatory information, regardless of price. Somerset & Wood is, as a result, more than just an online shop; we are part gallery, part archive, part research project.
Come in for a browse and see for yourself. We hope you will come away with a piece of history, a piece of a story, something that feasts your eyes, pulls at your heartstrings or ignites your imagination.
Our Customers & Clients
We are delighted that our pictures resonate with art-lovers worldwide. We welcome a diverse international client base, ranging from public collections, established collectors and dealers to novice art-buyers or those simply searching for something to look good on their wall.
We sell regularly to countries big and small across the globe—from the United States, Canada, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Australia, Brazil, India, China and Japan, to Luxembourg, Iceland, Finland, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Museums
Somerset & Wood also sells to museums and galleries throughout the UK. Our clients have included: The British Library; Historic England Archive; W.W. Spooner Charitable Trust in association with The Wordsworth Trust; Victoria Art Gallery Bath; Leicestershire County Council Museums; Alnwick Castle, Northumberland; Rozelle House and Maclaurin Galleries, Ayrshire.
Somerset & Wood Images
We welcome requests to reproduce Somerset & Wood images. Our images have been reproduced in the following publications amongst others:
- National Portrait Gallery 'Rowney guide' (updated online, 2019)
- Huw Lewis-Jones, 'Sea Journal', (Thames & Hudson, London 2019)
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 'A Return to the Grand Tour, Microcosmic Jewels from the Collection of Elizabeth Locke' (Richmond VA, 2019)
- The Scotsman (2018)
- Victorian Web www.victorianweb.org (2018)
We are pleased to offer Free Delivery Worldwide .
This is an untracked service by Royal Mail 2nd Class (UK) or International Standard (Europe and Rest of World).
The speed of this service is not guaranteed, so if delivery is time-critical we recommend upgrading to either Special Delivery Guaranteed (UK) or Courier (International). We also strongly recommend upgrading to a tracked service if you require the peace of mind that comes with being able to track your parcel's progress.
Estimated delivery times after dispatch are as follows:
- Delivery in UK within 2-3 working days
- Delivery to Europe in 3 to 5 working days
- Delivery to rest of the world in 6 to 7 working days
Please note that international delivery times often exceed these estimates due to delays in the postal service which are beyond our control.
Offering free shipping comes at a substantial cost to us, with rising prices with carriers and for packaging materials and labour. We are committed to offering good value and want to continue to be able to offer this service, so we appreciate your patience if you choose to select untracked Free Delivery.
Delivery Upgrade - UK
Royal Mail 2nd Class Tracked can be selected at checkout for an additional cost of £5.
Royal Mail Special Delivery can be selected at checkout for an additional cost of £10. Orders are packed on Mondays and Thursdays. Delivery will be 'Next Day by 1pm' respective to these packing days e.g. if you order on a Tuesday, delivery will be on Friday. Orders must be placed by 10am on the packing day to ensure delivery next day.
If you require delivery by a certain day and are selecting Special Delivery, please email us to let us know your requirements and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
Delivery Upgrade - International
Royal Mail International Tracked can be selected at checkout for an additional cost of £10.
International Express Courier can be selected at checkout for an additional cost of £30. Items will be sent by secure international courier. Usually this is FedEx or UPS, with declared delivery times within as little as 2 to 5 working days. We reserve the right to choose the specific courier service subject to availability.
Dispatch Information
Orders are dispatched Monday and Thursday, excluding local and national holidays.
You will receive a confirmation email once your order is dispatched.
All items are packed carefully and securely in high quality packaging. Most items are shipped flat in a cardboard envelope with stiffener. Occasionally items are shipped rolled in a tube. Oversized items may be shipped by courier. Read more about what you will receive on our What We Offer page.
US Tariff-Free Imports
We use a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) service via Royal Mail / USPS for all deliveries to the United States. There should be no additional tariffs or duties to pay on import.
EU Customs
For orders under €150 import VAT is collected by eBay at checkout. For orders over €150, additional fees may be payable at point of import in accordance with your country's tax laws. Original works of art are generally exempt from customs duties but may be subject to import VAT, usually at a reduced rate.
Please consult your local tax office for further information as we cannot provide country-specific advice on customs charges. Should you encounter issues at import please contact us and we will endeavour to provide information as required.
I have already placed my order, can I upgrade my shipping?
Yes, certainly. Please contact us if you wish to upgrade your shipping after placing your order.
My item hasn't arrived yet, what should I do?
In our experience, it is extremely rare that items are lost in post. Should your wait exceed the estimated delivery times, we kindly ask for your patience; sometimes there are delays in the postal service (especially at International Customs or over busy periods such as Christmas), which are beyond our control.
If you have not received your item in due course please contact us and we can confirm details of the shipment: the delivery address, date of dispatch, method of postage and any tracking number if applicable.
Please note that we cannot classify a parcel as lost until it exceeds the timeline set by Royal Mail:
- UK: 13 working days from dispatch
- Europe: 25 working days from dispatch
- Rest of World: 32 working days from dispatch
If you have still not received your parcel after this period of time please contact us.
Delivery Restrictions
Due to the Luxury Goods ban as part of the UK Government sanctions against Russia we are unable at this time ship artworks to Russia.
We offer a No Quibble returns policy.
We understand that when buying online you do not have the opportunity to scrutinise an artwork in person. We therefore offer complete assurance that you can return the artwork if it does not meet with expectation for any reason.
To return an item
Please start a Return request within 30 days of receipt of goods. You do this by finding the item in your 'Purchase history' and selecting 'Return this item'.
Please return the item in its original packaging (or close equivalent) to ensure safe transit. We cannot be responsible for damage sustained during return transit.
Please see our Business Seller Information below for return address details.
On safe receipt of the item back to us, your refund will be issued via the payment method that was used for the original transaction.
Please note, return shipping costs will only be reimbursed if the reason for return is our error. Returns from outside of the UK may incur customs charges for which the sender will be liable, unless the reason for return is our error. Please write below the Customs Label 'Returned Goods' in order to minimise potential charges. Any customs charges will be deducted from the refunded amount.Contact
We welcome all enquiries. If you have a question about a specific artwork, it is helpful if you can please quote the 'stock number' listed at the bottom of the artwork 'Details' (e.g. KB-347), in order to help identify the work.
Please see our Business Seller Information below for contact details.
Our gallery is exclusively online. Should you wish to view an artwork in person, please contact us to arrange an appointment (Monday to Friday, 9.30am-5.00pm). Please provide the 'stock number' (e.g. KB-347) of the artworks that you are interested in so that we can get them out of storage for you. As all artworks are kept in storage, please note that general browsing is not possible.