After a preview at Oriel Tegfryn Gallery in Menai Bridge (Williams’ original gallery which falls under the Martin Tinney umbrella today) from April 14-22, the show transfers to Tinney’s site in Cardiff from April 26-June 2.
The selection of works, many of which come from private collections, has been put aside during the past 10 years in preparation for the exhibition. Among the highlights is a large 3ft x 5ft 11in (90cm x 1.8m) painting of Hawarden Castle, and a painting of Y Fron, near Caernarfon, which Williams swapped with fellow landscape painter Gwilym Prichard. It has never been on the open market before.
Prices range from £2500-85,000.
Martin Tinney told ATG that the market for Williams is “becoming much more sophisticated with a greater appreciation of his earlier and mid-period – some would say more honest – work”.
He added: “These were produced before he became extremely successful in his latter years, when some of the work could have been said to be a little glib. This is now becoming reflected in the prices.”
Williams’ work is certainly highly visible at the moment. The Martin Tinney show is one of a number of events marking the artist’s centenary, such as an exhibition of 400 paintings and other works in his hometown of Llangefni, Anglesey, as well as Behind the Frame, a show at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. Both are ongoing.
His works have continued to take five-figure sums at auction and, last month, all 11 pictures of his offered by Welsh auctioneer Rogers Jones got away (see Art Market).
Tinney adds: “It is entirely appropriate that the centenary is celebrated in his native Wales where his output is synonymous with the national landscape and induced many people to become collectors.”
