Sidney Cardew RSMA (1931-2017)
High Holborn

Watercolour
30 x 18 cm

Sidney Cardew (1931–2017) was a British artist celebrated for his evocative watercolour paintings, particularly those depicting marine and coastal scenes. Born in London, Cardew developed an early passion for drawing and painting during his school years. After completing his national service in the Royal Air Force, he pursued a career as a senior design engineer with the Ford Motor Company. In his early thirties, Cardew began to paint earnestly, initially focusing on oil painting before transitioning to watercolours, attracted by their immediacy and fluidity.

Cardew’s artistic approach was deeply influenced by renowned artists such as Edward Seago, John Singer Sargent, William Russell Flint, Ted Wesson, and Jack Merriott. He often painted en plein air, employing minimal preliminary drawing and emphasizing wet-into-wet techniques to capture the transient qualities of light and atmosphere.

In 1990, after attending sessions with the Wapping Group of Artists as a guest, Cardew was elected as a full member. Two years later, in 1992, he became a member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA). Throughout his career, he exhibited with prestigious institutions such as the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) and the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA), and his works are held in various provincial galleries.

As well as producing many maritime paintings, as a member of the Wapping Group of Artists Cardew frequently depicted scenes along the River Thames and its surroundings and was adept at capturing the essence of London’s architecture and street life. This painting of High Holborn is a particularly fine example of Cardew’s cityscapes, featuring splashes of colour, moving cars and a strong architectural focus.

Condition: generally very good.

If you would like to know more, please email info@manningfineart.co.uk or call us on 07929 749056.