Paul Ayshford Methuen (1886-1974)
Paul Ayshford Methuen was a British painter, zoologist, and landowner, renowned for his landscape and architectural paintings that often depicted scenes from his ancestral home, Corsham Court, and other locations in the West Country. His works are characterized by a blend of impressionistic brushwork and a keen attention to architectural detail.
He was born in Corsham, Wiltshire, the eldest son of Field Marshal Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen of Corsham, and his second wife, Mary Ethel. He was educated at Eton and later studied natural science at New College, Oxford. During his time at Oxford, he studied drawing under Sir Charles Holmes (1868-1936). From 1910 to 1914, Methuen worked at the Transvaal Museum in Pretoria, where he collaborated with herpetologist John Hewitt to collect and describe various southern African and Madagascan species. Despite being offered a professorship in zoology in South Africa, he declined, choosing instead to return to England to manage his family's estate.
In 1927, he attended art classes led by Walter Sickert (1860-1942), which had a lasting impact on his painting style. His preferred subjects included urban views, outdoor scenes with buildings, animals, and plants, such as the magnolias and orchids he cultivated at Corsham Court. He held his first solo exhibition at the Warren Gallery in 1928 and went on to exhibit at the Royal Academy and the New English Art Club (NEAC).
During World War II, Methuen served as a captain in the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry and later in the Procurement and Fine Art branch, a unit tasked with protecting works of art during the invasion of Europe. He documented his experiences in his book Normandy Diary. After the war, Methuen offered Corsham Court to the Bath Academy of Art, which had lost its premises due to bombing. The academy remained there until 1972, and the estate is now part of Bath Spa University.
Paul Ayshford Methuen, (4th Baron Methuen), Exeter, Watercolour (42 x 30cm), framed and glazed (65 x 52cm). Signed.
His distinct artistic style combined observational realism with a subtle impressionistic sensibility. He produced works in oil, watercolour and pen and ink; media which offered a range of fluid handling possibilities. His practice was shaped by the close study of nature, architecture, and landscape. His background in zoology informed his meticulous attention to detail, especially in botanical and animal subjects. However, his painterly brushwork, light-infused palettes, and loose handling of paint often show the influence of Walter Sickert on his artistic eye. This gives his work a soft impressionistic quality, particularly evident in his depictions of buildings, gardens and plants, domestic animals and wildlife as well as figures in interior or garden settings. A notable feature of Methuen’s work is his sensitivity to architectural forms. His depictions of buildings, especially his ancestral home Corsham Court, show a strong understanding of structure, space, and atmosphere. These paintings often merge formal composition with a romanticised sense of place. He often painted directly from life, rendering organic textures like leaves, blossoms, and animal fur with tactile realism. Yet, his handling of these subjects remained lyrical and soft-edged rather than rigid or overly illustrative.
Though he began his career as a zoologist, his artistic practice matured into a respected and prolific body of work which stands at the intersection of art, nature, and science, reflecting both a scholarly eye and a poetic sensibility. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1951 and became a full Royal Academician in 1959. He also served as the President of the Royal West of England Academy from 1939 to 1971. His contributions to both the arts and sciences have left a lasting impact, with his works continuing to be celebrated for their detailed observation and artistic merit. His works are held in several major collections, including the Tate Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Royal Academy.
Paul Ayshford Methuen, (4th Baron Methuen), Exeter, Watercolour (42 x 30cm), framed and glazed (65 x 52cm). Signed.
Paul Ayshford Methuen, (4th Baron Methuen), Exeter, detail.