A POPULAR Malvern artist and an 18th-century landscape painter, separated by two-and-a-half centuries, are featured in a new exhibition at a National Trust mansion house near Pershore.

Local artist Antony Bridge has been commissioned to paint the Croome landscape, 261 years after famous landscape painter Richard Wilson was also engaged to paint the emerging landscape of the 6th Earl of Coventry’s home.

Mr Bridge was asked by the National Trust to interpret the same view as Wilson selected in his accomplished landscape painting of 1758. Both of the artists’ work will feature in a new exhibition, ‘Bridge & Wilson’ which opened last month and includes six paintings by Wilson on loan from Gloucester Museum.

“I was delighted to be asked to undertake Croome’s first landscape painting commission since 1758,” said Croome’s artist-in-residence. “I wanted to paint the view with the house at the same proportions but to give this new piece more colour and energy which I try to do in all my work.

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“This painting is my largest to date and a little daunting at first. It’s such a large canvas, but I came to love it and it allowed me to be more creative having such a large space for the eye to meander over.”

Visitors can see these two large and very different studies by the two successful artists in the Drawing Room of Croome Court.  Richard Wilson (1714-1782) was an influential landscape painter, who worked in Britain and Italy. He was a founder member of the Royal Academy in London who began his career as a portrait painter, but whilst in Italy and under the advice of his friend, Francesco Zuccarelli, developed his style in landscape painting.

He created views based upon classical idealised landscapes and many wealthy landowners, including Croome’s 6th Earl, commissioned Wilson to paint their estates.

The new exhibition is now on show in the drawing room of Croome Court until December 31.