A trip to market in days gone by could mean a long journey by rough roads or by river. However, Leighton has taken a romantic approach to the subject, dressing the women in elegant clothing. His picture reflects a nineteenth century fashion for most nostalgic, sentimental scenes of what life might have been like 100 years previously. The old village houses on the bank and the towers of a large church behind convey an impression of idyllic past times.

Provenance: John George Joicey Bequest, 1919

Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne & Wear
Material: Oil on canvas
Artist: Edmund Blair Leighton (1852–1922)
Date: 1900

Image Details
Date: 6 March 2025
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Wide Camera 26mm ƒ/1.8
Focal Length: 26mm
Aperture: ƒ/1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/25s
ISO: 640
Licensing: Image of a North East Museums asset. This image cannot be licensed.