Marlborough now holds nine original works, featuring central areas of the town such as The Green and the High Street, all by an artist of the Victorian era – George Maton.
Maton was an enigma. Whilst his works of Marlborough are lauded, little has been put together to note who he was, when he lived, what he did, or anything about him. Here, after looking at his works is some background to this enigmatic artist of the mid-Victorian era.
Seven of his Marlborough works hang in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, whilst a further two have been purchased recently by The Merchant’s House from a collection in Canada. These are in the process of being restored and re-framed and, eventually, will take their place in The Merchant’s House, hanging somewhere so they can be viewed by all.
All oil on – card, paper, canvas. But of a distinctive style, and all featuring a ‘Marlborough’ scene, but – and this is relatively unusual for works of the period – featuring people going about their daily lives. Almost a bit ‘Lowry’ in this respect, although Lowry painted some five decades or so later and was of the Manchester area in the North West.
We have grouped the fifteen pictures into five groups: those hanging in the Council Chamber in the Town Hall (seven); those held by The Merchant’s House (two); those of Aldbourne – two held by the Evans family and two by the Brown family; the Savernake Monument painting – held by the Marwquess of Ailesbury; the painting of ‘Court’ at Marlborough College
Group 1:
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Copyright to all images is held by Marlborough.news and no reproduction allowed without permission
