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Student Artwork Guide

Whernside

Charles John Holmes, 1917

Name Class Date
Charles John Holmes, Whernside (1917). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Charles John Holmes artsdot.com/en/artists/charles-john-holmes/
Artist’s dates
1868 – 1936
Painted
1917
Original size
69 x 76 cm
Movement
Impressionism Painters working fast and outdoors to catch how light actually looked at one moment, rather than finishing smoothly in a studio.

Copyright This work is in the public domain. Charles John Holmes died in 1936; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2006.

Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

Whernside — Charles John Holmes Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Whernside — Charles John Holmes

How big is it?

The original measures 69 × 76 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

When was this painted?

  1. 1860
  2. 1870
  3. 1880
  4. 1890
  5. 1900
  6. 1910
  7. 1920
  8. 1930

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 68 at death.

Painted when the artist was 49. The artist lived to 68. 10 of the 26 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Charles John Holmes (1868–1936) ▲ this work, 1917 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1911 Main working years: 1911–1921 Late works: from 1921

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: artsdot.com/en/art/similar/charles-john-holmes-whernside-AQS3KA-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Rosy Brown #9d958f

    Catalogued palette

    • #9D958F
    • #3D3737
    • #CFD8DC
    • #615D60

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Main colour name
    Rosy Brown
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Balanced How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Discordant Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Balanced How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Subtle Color How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Charles John Holmes over the last twelve months — 3 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 58.3%
    2. 2 United Kingdom 33.3%
    3. 3 Singapore 8.3%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 9 most looked-at works by Charles John Holmes

    1. 1 The Yellow Wall, Blackburn, 1932 33.3%
    2. 2 The Burning Kiln, 1914 16.7%
    3. 3 The Eden, near Lazonby, 1926 8.3%
    4. 4 Murton Fell, 1917 8.3%
    5. 5 Grenfell Crag, 1919 8.3%
    6. 6 Langdale Pikes, 1917 8.3%
    7. 7 Farmyard, Winter, 1921 8.3%
    8. 8 Penrith Beacon 8.3%
    9. — Whernside, 1917 this painting 0.0%

    Together these works take 99.8% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 32 works by this artist, of which 8 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

    Whernside — Charles John Holmes Part 2 · In context

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Charles John Holmes

    early life and education

    charles john holmes, a multifaceted figure in the art world, was born on november 11, 1868, in preston, lancashire. he attended eton college from 1883 and later attained a scholarship to brasenose college, oxford in 1887.

    career highlights

    holmes' career is marked by several notable positions:

    slade professor of fine art at oxford university (1904-1910)

    co-editor of the burlington magazine (1904-1909)

    director of the national portrait gallery (1909-1916)

    director of the national gallery (1916-1928)

    artistic contributions and style

    holmes' writing on art combined theory with practice, making him an expert on the painting techniques of the old masters. his own artistic style, though not widely documented, reflects his deep understanding of various art movements.

    the ribble, near clitheroe (before 1936), a drawing and watercolor piece showcasing his skill in capturing landscapes.

    steelworks (1918), another drawing and watercolor work, demonstrates his ability to portray industrial scenes with finesse.

    view more artworks by charles john holmes on AllPaintingsStore.com

    legacy and impact

    charles john holmes left an indelible mark on the art world, not only through his own creations but also through his contributions to the national gallery and his role in shaping the art historical narrative of his time.

    explore more about charles john holmes' life and work on wikipedia

    discover the national gallery's collection, featuring works by charles john holmes and other notable artists, on AllPaintingsStore.com

    learn more about the national portrait gallery, where holmes served as director, on AllPaintingsStore.com

    charles john holmes's life serves as a reminder of the profound influence one individual can have on the world of art. his legacy continues to inspire, educate, and captivate audiences worldwide.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Whernside

    artsdot.com/en/art/download/charles-john-holmes-whernside-AQS3KA-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Holmes, Charles John. Whernside. 1917, https://artsdot.com/en/art/charles-john-holmes-whernside-AQS3KA-en/
    APA
    Holmes, Charles John (1917). Whernside [Painting]. https://artsdot.com/en/art/charles-john-holmes-whernside-AQS3KA-en/
    Chicago
    Charles John Holmes. Whernside. 1917. https://artsdot.com/en/art/charles-john-holmes-whernside-AQS3KA-en/
    Harvard
    Holmes, Charles John (1917) Whernside. Available at: https://artsdot.com/en/art/charles-john-holmes-whernside-AQS3KA-en/

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

    Whernside — Charles John Holmes Part 3 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    Whernside — Charles John Holmes

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: rolling hills landscape, atmospheric perspective, british countryside”. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at Farmyard at Soberton, Surrey (1923), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Impressionism: Painters working fast and outdoors to catch how light actually looked at one moment, rather than finishing smoothly in a studio. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 26, 2026

    Whernside — Charles John Holmes Part 4 · Look closely

    Questions & Answers

    Where can I buy a hand-painted reproduction of "Whernside" by Charles John Holmes?

    You can order a hand-painted reproduction of "Whernside" by Charles John Holmes directly on its Hand-Painted Reproduction page: a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas, made to order.

    What was Charles John Holmes's age when "Whernside" was created?

    Charles John Holmes was 49 years old when creating "Whernside" in 1917. The age is computed from the artist's birth year, 1868.

    Do the colors of "Whernside" appear strong or soft?

    The colors in "Whernside" by Charles John Holmes have a balanced intensity.