Ken has always liked the Albert Goodwin paintings, especially the ones of Victorian Maidstone river scenes. The painting of the Old Bridge, Maidstone is spectacular. In fact they are the only objects that we have in the whole museum that Ken would truly like to own. An outstanding Victorian landscape artist born in our local town of Maidstone in 1845, Albert Goodwin trained with the pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, who believed in paintings reflecting 'truth to life'.
Albert Goodwin (1845-1932) was born in Maidstone the son of a builder. He was a pupil of the pre-Raphaelites Ford Maddox Brown and Arthur Hughes. He also painted with Ruskin whom influenced Goodwin’s work "I owe much thanks to Ruskin, who ballyragged me into a love of form when I was getting too content with colour alone; and colour alone is luxury" (Goodwin, The Diary of Albert Goodwin, July 18 1900).
The painting of the Old Bridge at Maidstone, looking south, is of the bridge that spanned the Medway and was erected during the 14th century. This bridge, adjacent to the Archbishop's Palace, was probably built by one of the archbishops of Canterbury. The bridge was demolished in 1879 after being deemed unsafe, and rebuilt by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, a distinguished Victorian engineer.
Accession number: BAL_MAI 44987 , PCF 519
