A PAINTING regarded as the crowning achievement of British painter William Stott is the centrepiece of a new exhibition at Oriel y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre in St Davids from today, Saturday, February 24, to September 2.

Le Passeur (The Ferryman) 1881, is considered one of the key moments in the breakthrough of British Art to naturalism. It established Stott as one of the most progressive British artists of his day.

William Stott was a leading figure in the group of British artists who came under the influence of French naturalism in the late nineteenth century. After Manchester School of Art, he trained in Paris under Bonnat and Gérôme and went on to exhibit a number of paintings at the Paris Salon, which were much admired by French critics.

There are 23 of his paintings in British public collections, the majority of which are in Gallery Oldham, the artist’s home town. This work joins one other in Tate’s collection by Stott, Prince or Shepherd? (Prince ou Berger?) 1880, which will also be exhibited at Oriel y Parc.

Le Passeur will be one of three works from Tate’s collections to be shown at Oriel y Parc, with a watercolour of St David’s Head by J.M.W. Turner also on display to commemorate the Year of the Sea in Wales.

These are exhibited alongside paintings from the collections of Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales, which have been chosen to explore some of the hidden meanings behind images of rural life and landscape.

These include The Goose Girl at Gruchy by Jean-François Millet (1814-1875), one of the most notable French Realists of the 19th century.

The display at Oriel y Parc is part of a tour of four UK-partner galleries, thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the John Ellerman Foundation and Art Fund.

“It is a privilege to once again be a partner in a project with Tate, following on from the great success of the John Constable: Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831 exhibition, which was viewed by more than 30,000 people in St Davids in 2016,” said chair of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Gwyneth Hayward.

“As Oriel y Parc celebrates its tenth anniversary this year we are delighted to be hosting such a significant exhibition, which represents the only opportunity to see the painting in Wales.

“We hope local people and visitors alike will take this rare opportunity to view another masterpiece of British art in Pembrokeshire and be inspired to explore the National Park’s world-class landscape, which has inspired so many artists over the centuries.”

For more information on the exhibition and related events visit www.orielyparc.co.uk/lepasseur.

Caption: Le Passeur (The Ferryman) 1881, William Stott of Oldham (1857–1900). Photo © Tate. Purchased with funds provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Art Fund (with a contribution from The Wolfson Foundation) and The Hintze Family Charitable Foundation 2016.