Golf Watercolour Painting Westward Ho!
Golf Watercolour Painting Westward Ho!
31874
"Patience is a Virtue" - Westward Ho! Watercolour.
A wonderful, framed and rare original golfing watercolour of Westward Ho! (Royal North Devon Golf Club), attributed to Francis Powell Hopkins, better known by his pseudonym Major Shortspoon.
The work bears the handwritten title "Patience is a Virtue" in ink, along with the names of the two golfers, "Mr Cunningham" and "Captain James", inscribed in pencil. The scene captures a quiet moment on the historic links, with two figures poised mid-game. Executed on grey paper and heightened with delicate touches of blue and white, the composition beautifully conveys the atmosphere of early golf. There is some light spotting, mainly confined to the sky area, consistent with its age.
Hopkins (1830-1913), born in Cambridge and educated at Rugby School, enjoyed a distinguished early career in the British Army before retiring as a Major in 1869. While he later pursued business ventures, his enduring legacy lies in his artistic contribution to golf. Under the name Major Shortspoon, he produced hundreds of small watercolours that vividly document the game as it was played prior to the advent of photography. Today, his works are considered rare and highly collectible pieces of golfing heritage, with examples held in prestigious collections such as the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
The setting of this piece, Royal North Devon Golf Club, is itself steeped in history. Commonly referred to as Westward Ho!, it is England's oldest golf course, founded in 1864 and designed by the legendary Old Tom Morris. In 1867, royal patronage elevated its status when the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, granted it the "Royal" title, cementing its place in the history of the sport. As the oldest links course outside Scotland, it remains a living testament to golf's enduring traditions.
Together, Hopkins' artwork and the storied landscape it portrays offer a rare and evocative window into the origins of the modern game, where patience, indeed, was and remains a virtue.
Dimensions:
1850-1899
Circa 1880's
Watercolour
United Kingdom
Christie's, London, Golf Memorabilia, 10th July 2001, lot 96 (part lot)
Good original condition. Some spotting to the image, but it is mainly contained to the sky area (see images).
RELATED ITEMS
![](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://shop.maddies.boutique/golf/artwork-paintings-prints/golf-watercolour-painting-westward-ho&media=https://seek-unique-co.s3.amazonaws.com/sportantiques-64hFGwj3-uEHU73t22/stock/69d5edd0f3929_3_31874.jpg&description="Patience is a Virtue" - Westward Ho! Watercolour.A wonderful, framed and rare original golfing watercolour of Westward Ho! (Royal North Devon Golf Club), attributed to Francis Powell Hopkins, better known by his pseudonym Major Shortspoon.The work bears the handwritten title "Patience is a Virtue" in ink, along with the names of the two golfers, "Mr Cunningham" and "Captain James", inscribed in pencil. The scene captures a quiet moment on the historic links, with two figures poised mid-game. Executed on grey paper and heightened with delicate touches of blue and white, the composition beautifully conveys the atmosphere of early golf. There is some light spotting, mainly confined to the sky area, consistent with its age.Hopkins (1830-1913), born in Cambridge and educated at Rugby School, enjoyed a distinguished early career in the British Army before retiring as a Major in 1869. While he later pursued business ventures, his enduring legacy lies in his artistic contribution to golf. Under the name Major Shortspoon, he produced hundreds of small watercolours that vividly document the game as it was played prior to the advent of photography. Today, his works are considered rare and highly collectible pieces of golfing heritage, with examples held in prestigious collections such as the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.The setting of this piece, Royal North Devon Golf Club, is itself steeped in history. Commonly referred to as Westward Ho!, it is England's oldest golf course, founded in 1864 and designed by the legendary Old Tom Morris. In 1867, royal patronage elevated its status when the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, granted it the "Royal" title, cementing its place in the history of the sport. As the oldest links course outside Scotland, it remains a living testament to golf's enduring traditions.Together, Hopkins' artwork and the storied landscape it portrays offer a rare and evocative window into the origins of the modern game, where patience, indeed, was and remains a virtue.){kind=link}