"When great leaves fall, the winter is at hand" King Richard III 2.3
As the last of the leaves dwindle on the trees and the days are getting shorter and colder by the week, I have chosen some nice wintery images of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust properties to look at for this 'Winter's Tale' post.
This watercolour is of Palmer's Farm, the property previously thought to have been the home of Mary Arden (William Shakespeare's mother). It was painted around 1900 by the artist William Wells Quatremain (1857-1930). Born in London, but raised in Stratford-upon-Avon from the age of 10, Quatremain was an artist who painted many local scenes. He became particularly successful painting scenes for postcards, although earlier in his career he sold works from his cousin's shop, advertised painting tutorials and supposedly also painted stage scenery for Sir Frank Benson and the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre.
In the video below I look at another of the paintings by Quatremain that we have in our collection, this one of Anne Hathaway's Cottage in the snow. I also look at a seasonal picture of Harvard House, the property which the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust cares and was built by the grandfather of John Harvard, benefactor of Harvard University - after all it is Thanksgiving!