2018 February & March Artwork of the Month
Quarry below Vale Castle, Guernsey, c 1871
Artist: William John Joseph C. Bond (1833-1928)
Medium: Oil on board
This small oil sketch of the quarry below Vale Castle is typical of the free and expressive brushstrokes used by William John Joseph C. Bond, a style influenced by Turner (1775-1851).
Bond's subjects consisted of landscapes, coastal and harbour scenes. He worked mostly in Liverpool, mainly for northern patrons. He did occasionally travel outside of Liverpool through his love of sailing, resulting in his visits to the Channel Islands.
Quarrying served as an important part of Guernsey's economy. At its height there were over 250 working quarries on the island. Much of the granite was exported. John Mowlem, one of Guernsey's largest quarry owners was contracted to supply stone to repave London's Blackfriars Bridge, the Strand and the Thames Embankment. So next time you visit London you could be walking on Guernsey granite.
