A pleasing landscape painting of the Windmill Tavern by John Holland Snr. The scene depicts a large group of people conversing outside the inn whilst others make their way along a country track running beside it. The building and windmill pictured here appear very similar to those situated at Reigate Heath in Surrey. The mill at Reigate was built in 1753 and was still used for grinding wheat up until around 1870. The main building is now the Reigate Heath Golf Club. The windmill still stands today and is owned and maintained by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council.

John Holland Senior was a painter of landscapes and coastal scenes who was born in Nottingham around 1830. He was the son of a painter and brother to Samuel Holland also a painter and sign writer. He was also uncle to his namesake John Holland (1857-1920) whom he taught to work in charcoal and Samuel S. Holland, both of whom were artists.

By 1861, he had become a full time artist exhibiting at Suffolk Street from around this time until 1879, at the British Institution between 1865-1866 as well as exhibiting locally in Nottingham. He never married and lived for many years with his father, brother and his family at Vernon Street, Nottingham. Around 1867, he moved to Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire where he exhibited locally. He would also often travel around the British countryside and coast to paint.

He spent a few years in West Yorkshire but by 1871 had moved back to live with his family in Nottingham. However, he spent his final years living at Trebray Lodge, Tintagel, Cornwall where he died on 7 February 1886.

A number of his works are held by the Buxton Museum, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council, Nottingham Art Gallery and the Williamson Art Gallery.

© Benton Fine Art