This painting by Joseph Clark depicts a lively group of boys leading a patriotic parade through a village. Two of the older children hold standards aloft, whilst the others wave flags or play instruments. In 1902, at the time of this painting Clark was living on Pinner Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill. The church depicted is very similar to Pinner Parish Church, which would have been the closest one to him at the time. On 9 August of that year, the coronation of Edward VII and Alexandra took place at Westminster Abbey. Special events were held all across the country to mark the occasion. Clark would probably have attended his local celebrations and was most likely was inspired to record his version of it.

Joseph Clark was born on 4th of July 1834 at Cerne Abbas, Dorset. He was the son of William Henry Clark, a draper and his wife Susanna (née Shepherd). After the death of his father, his mother encouraged her son to move to London to study at the Leigh’s Academy, (now Heatherley School of Fine Art) which was set up by James Matthews Leigh in 1848. He later continued his artistic education by enrolling at the Royal Academy School and began specialising in genre scenes.

He made his debut at the Royal Academy in 1857 with ‘The Sick Child’, continuing to exhibit there throughout his life. He also exhibited at the British Institution, Royal Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street, Royal Institute of Oil Painters and New Watercolour Society, as well provincial galleries. By 1861, Clark had become an established artist and kept a house in Islington and Dorset. He married Annie Jones in 1868 and the couple later moved to Hampstead to accommodate his growing family.

In 1875, he was elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists and also became a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. In addition to becoming a highly sought after artist at home, he achieved success abroad winning a medal and award at Philadelphia in 1876 for two paintings that he had sent over for an exhibition. Many of his works are of domestic interiors usually including children and he often used members of his family as models. By 1901, Clark had moved to Harrow-on-the-Hill living at Wendover, Pinner Road. In his later years he relocated to the Kent coast to Ramsgate where he moved to 95 Hereson Road. He died at Ramsgate in 1925 on his birthday, aged 92.

Examples of his work can be found in public collections including the Laing Art Gallery, Maidstone Museum, Newport Museum, Sheffield Museum, Sunderland Museum, Tate and the V&A.

© Benton Fine Art