Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 25 works by John Wright Oakes in our catalogue
In short
John Wright Oakes's best-known piece is Moonlight, Near Cemmaes, Anglesea (1871). Next on the list are A North Devon Glen, Autumn (1870) and Slate Quarries, Llanberis (1847). We have 25 works by John Wright Oakes in our catalogue; this guide picks out the 25 best known, with the year, the museum and the story of each piece.
In Moonlight, Near Cemmaes, Anglesea, John Wright Oakes captures a moment of profound stillness as the sun begins its descent or perhaps prepares to rise, casting warm, glowing hues across the sky. A tranquil landscape unfolds, centered around a quiet body of water that mirrors the shifting colors of the heavens. Upon this liquid surface, a small boat carries a single figure, a solitary presence that provides a sense of…
A North Devon Glen, Autumn is an oil on canvas by John Wright Oakes. The work measures 124 x 167 cm. It was created about 1870. This piece resides within the collection of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
is an oil painting by John Wright Oakes, executed in 1847. The artist, born in 1820 in Cheshire West and Chester, United Kingdom, transitioned from the precise study of still-life fruit pieces to the direct observation of the natural landscape. This work emerged during a period of significant industrial expansion and a simultaneous romantic interest in the untouched natural world.
The landscape captures the confluence of the River Derwent, where the water meets the horizon under a vast, shifting sky. Mountains rise in the background, their forms softened by the heavy, moisture-laden air characteristic of the British Isles. A single boat floats upon the surface, a small, solitary presence amidst the expanse of the river. Scattered figures populate the banks, their scale emphasizing the quiet magnitude of the natural environment.…
A single figure stands at the river's edge, a silent witness to the slow movement of the current. The water flows past stones smoothed by time, its surface catching the pale light of a day governed by shifting clouds. In the distance, mountains rise like heavy shadows against a sky filled with soft, drifting shapes. The air feels still, held in the balance between the solid earth and the moving…
The salt air seems to drift from the canvas as a group of riders moves through a lush field near the ocean. Horses carry their passengers across the verdant expanse, their movement suggesting a slow, rhythmic pace under the wide sky. In the distance, a solitary boat rests upon the water, a small detail that anchors the vastness of the sea against the land. Birds scatter through the air, their…
The canvas depicts a group of individuals engaged in the manual task of stacking hay within a field. At least six figures are positioned throughout the scene, some situated in the immediate foreground while others are placed further back in the midground. The hay is gathered into various piles of differing sizes, suggesting the systematic collection of material from across the expanse of the field. In the distance, the landscape…
Loch Muick, Aberdeenshire by John Wright Oakes presents a landscape centered on a lake situated beneath a series of mountains and hills. The composition includes a rocky shore in the foreground, where the terrain meets the water's edge. The arrangement of the landforms creates a sense of depth, leading the eye from the immediate shoreline toward the rising elevations in the distance. The scene is populated by several birds scattered…
In Morning at Angera, Lago Maggiore, John Wright Oakes captures a lively scene unfolding along the water's edge. The shore is alive with a group of people gathered on the beach, their presence suggesting a leisurely day spent in the company of friends or family. Some figures hold umbrellas aloft, perhaps to shield themselves from the sun or to ward off a sudden light rain. Near the center of the…
Picking up Wreckage on a Rocky Shore by John Wright Oakes presents a realistic depiction of a dramatic coastal scene. Painted about 1864, the work captures a tumultuous maritime environment where the sea crashes against a rugged, rocky shoreline. The atmosphere is defined by a heavy, overcast sky filled with dark clouds, suggesting the immediate aftermath of a storm or the onset of tempestuous weather.
Mountain Stream, Glen Derry, Aberdeenshire, 'Like time the restless waters rush along'1873 · Touchstones Rochdale
Make it yours from $175 →
A coastal scene with figures by beached fishing boats in the foreground1887
Make it yours from $175 →
The four subjects that come up most often in these pieces, each with its best-known example.
The 7 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by John Wright Oakes | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Walker Art Gallery |
Liverpool | 3 | A North Devon Glen, Autumn, Morning at Angera, Lago Maggiore, The Tivey at Newcastle Emlyn, Cardiganshire |
 Nottingham Castle Museum And Art Gallery |
Nottingham | 2 | The Mouth of the River Derwent, A Sandy Bit of Road |
 Harris Museum - Art Gallery |
Preston | 1 | Slate Quarries, Llanberis |
 Ludlow Library - Museum Resource Centre |
Ludlow | 1 | Malltreath Bay |
 Laing Art Gallery |
Newcastle upon Tyne | 1 | Loch Muick, Aberdeenshire |
 New Walk Museum - Art Gallery |
Leicester | 1 | Picking up Wreckage on a Rocky Shore |
 Touchstones Rochdale |
Rochdale | 1 | Mountain Stream, Glen Derry, Aberdeenshire, 'Like time the restless waters rush along' |
Pick a decade to see its standout piece.
is an oil painting by John Wright Oakes, executed in 1847. The artist, born in 1820 in Cheshire West and Chester, United Kingdom, transitioned from the precise study of still-life fruit pieces to the direct observation of the natural landscape. This work emerged during a period of significant industrial expansion and a simultaneous romantic interest in the untouched natural world.
A single figure stands at the river's edge, a silent witness to the slow movement of the current. The water flows past stones smoothed by time, its surface catching the pale light of a day governed by shifting clouds. In the distance, mountains rise like heavy shadows against a sky filled with soft, drifting shapes. The air feels still, held in the balance between the solid earth and the moving…
The canvas depicts a group of individuals engaged in the manual task of stacking hay within a field. At least six figures are positioned throughout the scene, some situated in the immediate foreground while others are placed further back in the midground. The hay is gathered into various piles of differing sizes, suggesting the systematic collection of material from across the expanse of the field. In the distance, the landscape…
In Moonlight, Near Cemmaes, Anglesea, John Wright Oakes captures a moment of profound stillness as the sun begins its descent or perhaps prepares to rise, casting warm, glowing hues across the sky. A tranquil landscape unfolds, centered around a quiet body of water that mirrors the shifting colors of the heavens. Upon this liquid surface, a small boat carries a single figure, a solitary presence that provides a sense of…
Top of the list is Moonlight, Near Cemmaes, Anglesea (1871). Right behind it: A North Devon Glen, Autumn (1870) and Slate Quarries, Llanberis (1847).
51 years old. John Wright Oakes was born in 1820, and Moonlight, Near Cemmaes, Anglesea dates from 1871.
Moonlight, Near Cemmaes, Anglesea, A North Devon Glen, Autumn, Slate Quarries, Llanberis, The Mouth of the River Derwent, Landscape, Woman by River, Barmouth, Malltreath Bay, Loch Muick, Aberdeenshire, Morning at Angera, Lago Maggiore and Picking up Wreckage on a Rocky Shore. You'll find the year and the museum of each in the list above.
We have 25 works by John Wright Oakes in our catalogue, dated 1847 to 1887.
You'll find most of them in Walker Art Gallery (Liverpool), Nottingham Castle Museum And Art Gallery (Nottingham) and Harris Museum - Art Gallery (Preston). The museum list above has the full breakdown.
In 1870s, more than any other time: 10 of the 25 pieces on this page date from then, Moonlight, Near Cemmaes, Anglesea among them.
The earliest piece here is Slate Quarries, Llanberis (1847); the most recent is A coastal scene with figures by beached fishing boats in the foreground (1887).
Water (8), People (8) and Mountains (6), out of the 25 pieces on this page.
Oil On Canvas, used in 10 of the 25 pieces on this page.
You can see 3 of the pieces on this page at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, including A North Devon Glen, Autumn, Morning at Angera, Lago Maggiore and The Tivey at Newcastle Emlyn, Cardiganshire.
Yes. Every painting on this page is available as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print, in the size that suits you. Just open the painting's page to order.
In the heart of the Victorian era, a period defined by both industrial expansion and a profound romantic longing for the untouched natural world, the works of John Wright Oakes emerged as a poignant bridge between reality and imagination. Born in 1820 at Sproston House near Middlewich, Cheshire, Oakes was a man whose lineage and upbringing provided a stable foundation for a life dedicated to the pursuit of aesthetic truth. While his early years were rooted in the English countryside, his artistic spirit found its true home amidst the rugged, mist-shrouded peaks and dramatic coastlines of Wales. His journey from a student of fine details to a master of atmospheric grandeur represents one of the most compelling narratives of nineteenth-century British landscape painting.
Oakes’s formal training began in Liverpool, where he studied under the guidance of John Bishop at the school attached to the Liverpool Mechanics’ Institution. This early education instilled in him a meticulous discipline that would later serve as the bedrock for his more expansive works. Interestingly, his initial foray into the art world was not through the sweeping vistas for which he is now celebrated, but through the delicate and precise genre of fruit paintings. These early still lifes, exhibited at the Liverpool Academy—where he eventually served as an honorary secretary—demonstrated a profound understanding of texture, light, and form. However, around 1843, a transformative shift occurred; drawn by the raw power of nature, Oakes began painting directly from the landscape, trading the controlled environment of the studio for the unpredictable beauty of the outdoors.
The transition from still life to landscape allowed Oakes to explore the tenets of Romanticism, an art movement that prioritized emotion, the sublime, and the awe-inspiring power of the natural world. Influenced by the legendary techniques of masters like Turner and Constable, Oakes developed a signature style characterized by masterful tonal modulation and atmospheric perspective. He possessed a rare ability to capture the fleeting, ephemeral qualities of light—the way a sudden sunbeam pier sculpting through heavy clouds, or the soft, melancholic glow of twilight over a mountain glen. His canvases were not merely topographical records but emotional landscapes that invited the viewer to feel the dampness of the mist and the chill of the wind.
His technical prowess was particularly evident in his treatment of diverse terrains:
The trajectory of Oakes’s career was marked by consistent recognition from the most prestigious institutions of his time. His debut in London at the Royal Academy in 1847, featuring On the River Greta, Keswick, signaled his arrival as a significant force in British art. Throughout his prolific life, he became a regular contributor to the Society of British Artists, the Dudley Gallery, and the Portland Gallery. His accolades were numerous, including being elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1876 and receiving honorary membership in the Royal Scottish Academy in 1883. Even as ill health began to impede his physical practice in his final years, his dedication to the craft remained unshaken, continuing to exhibit at the Royal Academy until the very end.
Today, the historical significance of John Wright Oakes lies in his ability to have captured the vanishing essence of the nineteenth-century landscape. His works, now held in esteemed collections such as the Walker Art Gallery and the Nottingham Castle Museum, serve as windows into a world of sublime beauty and quiet contemplation. He remains a vital figure for anyone seeking to understand the Victorian fascination with the wild, untamed corners of the British Isles, leaving behind a legacy of over 300 canvases that continue to resonate with visual splendor and psychological depth.
