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Frank Brangwyn:
Bridge at Alcantara, Spain
Framed (ref: 5351)

Signed
Oil on canvas board, 24 x 30 in. (61 x 76.2 cm.)

Tags: Frank Brangwyn oil panel architecture Metropolitan British Artists in Europe

Provenance: The Fine Art Society (1962); private collection.

Exhibited: St Ives Society of Artists, Summer 1938
Literature: Vincent Galloway, The Oils and Murals of Sir Frank Brangwyn, Leigh on Sea, Frank Lewis, 1962, no 14.

Bridges were amongst Brangwyn's favourite motifs and were the subjects of some of his most memorable images.  The Bridge, by Christian Barman, published in 1926 reproduces 46 images of Bridges by Brangwyn.

Preliminary sketches for Bridge at Alcantara are in one of Brangwyn's sketchbooks.  Brangwyn also owned a number of photographs of the bridge which may have aided his recollection of details, although none is identical to the viewpoint of this particular oil.

This srtiking composition - recording one of Spain's most celebrated bridges - is composed of a subtle range of brown tones animated by occasional touches of bright yellow, red and green, seen for instance in the canvas hood of the cart crossing the bridge and the clothes of the workman in the foreground who are clearly constructing the walkway below the bridge which still exists today.

In a period flat D section carved and gilded frame with pierced foliate decoration.

We are grateful to Dr Libby Horner for assistance.  The Bridege at Alcantara  will appear as O341 in her forthcoming catalogue raisonné.