Hans HEYSEN
Germany 1877 – Australia 1968
Australia from 1884; Europe, England 1899-1903

The wet road 1894
watercolour on paper
Frame 44.0 (h) x 59.5 (w) x 4.0 (d) cm
Gift of Sir James McGregor 1959, Art Gallery of South Australia

The wet road was the first painting he ever sold, bought by his art teacher James Ashton for 10 shillings. It was inspired by landscapes by the Scottish artist Peter Graham (1836–1921), seen in an exhibition, late in 1894, at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

As a student Heysen was encouraged to develop his technique by copying watercolours, particularly those by British landscape artists.