Drawing Low Fell From Lanthwaite Hill Lake District Cumbria By Alfred Wainwright

Title
Alfred Wainwright (1907–1991) — “Low Fell, from Lanthwaite Hill”
Original Pen-and-Ink Landscape Drawing, Lake District — Signed and Titled — Professionally Framed

Subject & Medium
A superb Lake District landscape depicting Low Fell (Cumbria), drawn from near the summit of Lanthwaite Hill—an unmistakably Wainwright viewpoint that combines pastoral field geometry with the fell’s distinctive mass and ridge line. Executed in pen and ink on paper, the work sits squarely within the medium and visual language most closely associated with Wainwright’s celebrated Lakeland output.

Composition & Technique
This is an assured and quietly powerful example of Wainwright’s draughtsmanship: precise, economical, and richly descriptive. Tonal depth is built entirely through line density, direction and layered hatching rather than wash, producing crisp legibility and a timeless monochrome presence.
Darker, more emphatic mark-making anchors woodland and scrub in the foreground. The mid-ground opens into a measured patchwork of fields and boundaries that reads almost cartographically, guiding the eye toward the fell. Low Fell itself is constructed through controlled cross-hatching and contour-led linework that conveys slope, texture and distance with notable efficiency. The sky is handled with restrained strokes that suggest cloud movement without competing with the landscape. Typical of Wainwright, the absence of figures heightens the work’s stillness and contemplative mood.

Historical Significance and Date Rationale
The composition is documented as “Drawing 231: Low Fell, from Lanthwaite Hill” and recorded as forming the title page for the Low Fell chapter in The Western Fells. The Western Fells (Book Seven of A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells) was first published in 1966, and Wainwright’s guides were reproduced from his hand-produced pen-and-ink manuscript pages.
Date rationale (mid-1960s): because this view is tied to the Low Fell chapter/title-page usage in The Western Fells (published 1966), the most defensible working date for an original, guide-era drawing of this composition is mid-1960s, prior to publication—approximately c. 1964–1966.

About the Artist
Alfred Wainwright MBE (1907–1991) is among Britain’s most celebrated fell-writers and landscape draughtsmen. His seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells—created as fully handwritten and hand-illustrated manuscript pages—became the definitive cultural document of Lakeland walking and remains highly collected internationally.

Signed
Signed in pencil “A Wainwright” lower right, and titled “LOW FELL” lower left.

Framed
Mounted with a recent white border mat for a clean, gallery-style presentation.
Framed in a Larson Juhl baroque-style black lacquered Radiata Pine moulding.
Glazed with AR70 museum-grade glass, offering excellent clarity and UV protection.

Size
Framed dimensions: 47.2 cm (H) × 52 cm (W) × 5.5 cm (D)

Provenance
Private collection, Cumbria. Acquired from a private Cumbrian collection and subsequently sourced via a notable Cumbrian auction house/long-established saleroom; accompanied by a Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd label verso. Literature linkage: documented as Drawing 231: “Low Fell, from Lanthwaite Hill,” recorded as forming the title page of the Low Fell chapter in The Western Fells (published 1966), supporting the mid-1960s dating framework.
(If you would like, this can be tightened further by inserting the saleroom name and, if known, the sale date/lot number.)

Why It Works for Decorative Collective
A distinctive, highly decorative monochrome work that complements both contemporary and traditional interiors. The confident linear technique reads beautifully at scale, and the subject has genuine British cultural resonance. The combination of strong authorship, documented subject reference, and premium presentation (museum-grade glazing and quality moulding) makes it ideal for collectors of British topographical art and for clients seeking pieces with character and story.

Condition Report
Artwork presents in fine used condition. Light, age-appropriate foxing may be present, consistent with an older paper sheet. Frame in very good condition with minor natural imperfections consistent with artisanal finishing.

Shipping
Professionally packed and fully insured for safe delivery. Worldwide shipping available.