Alfred Oliver was one of the last Victorian and Edwardian naturalistic painters. Some idea of his style can be gained from a story told in the family. Apparently, when his "The Snowdon Horseshoe from Lyn Mymbyr", showing the mountains perfectly reflected in the lake, was exhibited in London, a critic complained that the image was impossible. Oliver's response was to invite the critic up to Capel, and on the first clear morning of his visit, to row him out on the lake and demonstrate how accurate the picture was.
(Meanwhile, on the other side of Moel Siabod, JD Innes and Augustus John were taking landscape painting in an entirely different direction.)
My own appreciation of Alfred Oliver's skill came from a painting of a single tree - a silver birch, if I recall correctly. It hung at the western end of the studio. In the half-light, and against the dark wooden background, it was almost as if a door opened into a wood.
The only other memory of the studio was a poignant one. Above a door at the back was mounted a twin-bladed propeller. I was told that it was a memorial for his son, killed in action in the first world war. Probably he was the T.A.Oliver cited in a Roll of Honour from 1917.
I can't find the studio, or even where it stood. The family (Humphries? Humphreys?) sold it around 1980, and it has probably been redeveloped as a guest house.
However, the sheep tracks which I used to wander and the view from the lake are virtually unchanged. If only the cloud would break so that I could capture the latter image.
9 comments:
I am the granddaughter of alfred oliver and would love to get in touch re your above post.
Hello, Viv, remember me as a skinny schoolboy in the 1950s when I was lodging with Albert & Betty Garrett? If you are on Facebook, you can message me there:
https://www.facebook.com/fhlittle
My husband myself and two friends visited Capel Curig in the early seventies. We had gone to visit my husband's friends who ran a hotel there, Pat and Norman Bassnett. Pat's Mum lived in a studio with tree growing in it and a propeller of a plane on the wall. We had tea there and it was lovely, lots of lovely paintings. We had our photo taken in front of a huge painting the full size of the wall. I think the roof of the studio was made of corrugated iron. My sister has just come back from Snowdonia and it brought back lovely memories.
I'm so glad to have confirmation of my memory of the studio. So Pat (Viv's sister) is now Mrs Bassnett? I don't suppose you know which hotel it was?
Viv has not got back in touch and I haven't heard directly from Pat. I wish them all well.
Hello
I’m not sure if you can help me however I do believe we have brought Alfred Oliver’s old home and the land where The studio was . One of the ladies from capel curig told us that was where he lived and his studio was on the land next to it . On the main road through Capel Curig the river run along I front .
If any one could give me further information about the position on the property that would be very helpful or any amazing facts about Alfred.
Kind regards
Sam
There is more information about Alfred Oliver and the sad end of his son Tom here: https://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/pilot-son-artist-shot-down-13647039
Sam,
Thanks for your query. I am following up the newspaper story quoted above and also searching for Pat Basnett (or Bassnett) who is almost certainly one of the two grand-daughters of Alfred Oliver I knew as a teenager.
Thank you, that will be most help full , I have research about Thomas and I have brought a picture of his air craft and a copy of the propeller. As we would like to know the history of the cottage we would like to find a picture of the cottage and a picture of Alfred . He was a fabulous artist.
Kind regards sam
Hi, I'm Alfred olivers great grandaughter, I originally posted back on behalf of my mum viv (pats sister), granddaughters of Alfred Oliver, in 2014!!, we never saw your reply's until today!
The studio (Alfred Oliver's home) burnt down many years ago,Pat sadly passed away in 1996, and norman her husband passed away 18 months later, Graham their son lives in Merseyside.
Viv is still going strong at the good old age of 85, Tom's propeller now hangs proudly in my sitting room!
If you want to get in touch or want any more info about the studio, or the cottage (Gorffwysfa), where Alfred daughter lived not Alfed,(who lived in the studio), please get in touch, I'll give my email address which is jillwill29@gmail.com as clearly the delay of me answering ie 6 yrs from the first post!!!, might be safer to use my email, which I check daily!
Regards Jill ( Vivs daughter)
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