Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Historic Painting Duke Of Bedford’s Main Estate Woburn Abbey In Bedfordshire

₩4,626,000

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This magnificent oil painting captures the grandeur of the Duke of Bedford's Main Estate country home, Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, England. Display it in your office or home to impress clients and guests. With its intricate architectural marvel, this masterpiece by Harold Barklam from 1970 is a true study in historical beauty.
Title “Historic Architectural Building Study View Duke Of Bedford’s Main Estate Woburn Abbey In Bedfordshire England” by Harold Barklam C1970.
Subject historical known architectural view of the monumental Woburn Abbey set during summertime, views of the front lawn garden with gravel pathway, lush green thick grass with tall trees on either flank. The detail to the building is mind blowing, the ballustrades, windows & stone work & chimney stacks, you are drawn towards the centre where the main entrance door is above 4 Roman style columns. with a frieze higher up, above light blue sky with scattered white clouds.
Oil on canvas.
Signed by the known British artist Harold Barklam.
A rather nice display size with the frame being 68 cm wide and 48 cm high.
Circa late 20th century 1970.
Artist biography Harold Barklam who was born in Dudley, Staffordshire in the year 1912, he was the second son of George Richard Barklam who was an iron axle forger, his wife was Gertrude Ellen née Attwell who married at Dudley in 1907. Harold studied at the Ryland Memorial School of Art, West Bromwich; the Royal College of Art in the early to mid 1930’s, he was under Gilbert Spencer (1892-1979) and also attended the Birmingham School of Art for 1 year. He worked as a teacher in schools of art from the late 1930’s, he then was in the by war service from 1940 to end of WW2.
He then taught at Suffolk after the war then at Derby School of Art where he worked for 26 years from 1950 until 1976. He was married at Wednesbury, Wolverhampton in 1939 around the start of WW2, Marjorie Hale, they had one child a daughter. He painted using oil also watercolour and finished several mural paintings & paintings of stately homes for 'English Life' Publications of Derby. He was also a known member & exhibitor at the Norfolk & Norwich Art Circle. He exhibited at the Derby Museum, Library and Art Gallery and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Harold Barklam resided at 9 Eastwood Drive, Littleover, Derby he sadly died at the Royal Manor Nursing Care Home, Derby in 2002. His wife Marjorie was also an artist, and they held a joint exhibition of their work at Glastonbury Experience, Glastonbury in 1980.
History of Woburn Abbey (/ˈwoʊbərn/), occupying the east of the village of Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the family seat of the Duke of Bedford. Although it is still a family home to the current duke, it is open on specified days to visitors, along with the diverse estate surrounding it, including the historic landscape gardens and deer park (by Humphry Repton), as well as more recently added attractions including Woburn Safari Park, a miniature railway and a garden/visitor centre. It was built by William Russell, 1st Baron Russell of Thornhaugh. Monastic origins Woburn Abbey, comprising Woburn Park and its buildings, was set out and founded as a Cistercian abbey in 1145. The Cistercian community was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538. The second rebuilding occurred under architects Henry Flitcroft and John Sanderson between 1747 and 1761.
In April 1786 John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both future Presidents of the United States, visited Woburn Abbey and other notable houses in the area. After visiting them Adams wrote in his diary "Stowe, Hagley, and Blenheim, are superb; Woburn, Caversham, and the Leasowes are beautiful. Wotton is both great and elegant, though neglected". However he was also damning about the means used to finance the large estates, and he did not think that the embellishments to the landscape made by the owners of the great country houses would suit the more rugged American countryside. Further rework undertaken between 1787 and 1790 was directed by Henry Holland. Visiting Woburn Abbey in March 1939, the MP and diarist Henry Channon described the well-kept-up "feudal magnificance" of the estate shortly before the outbreak of war. This included more than twenty drawing rooms, thirty cars and whole rooms devoted each to collections of Joshua Reynolds, Canalettos and Van Dyck paintings. From 1941 Woburn Abbey was the headquarters of the secretive Political Warfare Executive (PWE) which had its London offices at the BBC's Bush House.
The art collection of the Duke of Bedford is extensive and encompasses a wide range of western artwork. The holdings comprise some 250 paintings, including works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Canaletto and Velasquez. Moreover, the collection encompasses examples of the finest manufacturers of furniture, French and English in many periods, and a diverse collection of porcelain and silverware. Duke of Bedford (named after Bedford, England) is a title that has been created six times (for five distinct people) in the Peerage of England. John Russell, a close adviser of Henry VIII and Edward VI, was granted the title of Earl of Bedford in 1551, and his descendant William, 5th Earl, was created Duke in 1694, following the Glorious Revolution. The Russell family currently holds the titles of Earl and Duke of Bedford. Every Duke from the 5th Duke onwards is descended from Charles II of England. The family seat is Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire. The private mausoleum and chapel of the Russell Family and the Dukes of Bedford is at St. Michael's Church in Chenies, Buckinghamshire (photo). The family owns The Bedford Estate in central London. Andrew Ian Henry Russell, 15th Duke of Bedford (born 30 March 1962) is a British peer and landowner. His main estate is based at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire. He ranked 210 on the 2024 Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated fortune of £801 million.
Provenance commissioned for English Life, from a middle eastern shire dealers collection & Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD.
Hanging thread verso ready for immediate wall display.
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Condition report.
Offered in fine used condition.
Front painting surface is in acceptable overall order. Having various foxing staining, craquelure in places. Frame which has general wear, scuffs, stains some chips losses commensurate with usage & age.
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Dimensions in centimetres of the frame

High (48 cm)
Wide (68 cm)
Depth thickness of frame (4 cm)