Thomas Miles Richardson Senior - Sunset Trossachs, Scotland - Christies provenance

Original Early Victorian Watercolour

Thomas Miles Richardson Senior
Watercolour heightened with bodycolour
“Sunset, The Trossachs, Scotland”

Important Christie’s Provenance • Romantic Scottish Highland Landscape • Signed Example

Key Details

Artist: Thomas Miles Richardson Senior (1784–1848)
Title: “Sunset, The Trossachs, Scotland”
Medium: Watercolour heightened with bodycolour
Support: Paper
Signature: Signed “T.M. Richardson” (lower centre)
Dimensions: Image: 46 × 31 cm (18.1 × 12.2 in) Frame: 70 × 57 cm (27.6 × 22.4 in)
Condition: Very good antique condition; framed and glazed. Artwork in very good vintage condition. Frame has a number of marks from handling and some cracking of the veneer. Some scratches on glass.
Provenance: With Christie’s, London, 24 May 2011, Lot 508. Private UK collection.

Description

A rare opportunity to acquire a documented and highly decorative early Victorian watercolour by Thomas Miles Richardson Senior, depicting the celebrated Highland landscape of the Trossachs at sunset. A winding river cuts through rocky terrain, framed by delicately observed trees and receding blue mountains beneath a luminous evening sky.

Richardson’s refined draughtsmanship is beautifully evident in the precision of the landscape elements, while scratched highlights and subtle bodycolour create exceptional depth and atmospheric light. The golden hour palette enhances the romantic grandeur of the scene, reflecting the 19th-century fascination with Scotland’s wild scenery.

This is a collector-grade example with major auction house provenance, combining historical importance, aesthetic appeal, and strong decorative presence.

About the Artist

Thomas Miles Richardson Senior (1784–1848) was one of the most accomplished British Romantic landscape painters of the early 19th century. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, he exhibited extensively at the Royal Academy, the British Institution, and the Society of British Artists.

He gained particular acclaim for his Scottish subjects at a time when Highland scenery—popularised by Sir Walter Scott—captivated British collectors and fuelled the Romantic movement. His works are held in major public collections including the British Museum and the Laing Art Gallery.

Estimated Date

Circa 1830s–1840s (Early Victorian period).

Provenance & Notes

Christie’s, London, 24 May 2011, Lot 508. From a private UK collection.