Explore the works of John Louis Petit (1801-68), an artist hailed as "the greatest discovery in British Art for a generation" (Andrew Graham-Dixon). Lichfield Cathedral is proud to host the first permanent exhibition of his extraordinary paintings.
For 120 years, Petit’s extensive portfolio, which included up to 15,000 watercolours and pen drawings, was lost or forgotten, until it was uncovered in the 1980’s following the sale of a family member’s home.
Since then, art historian Philip Modiano has extensively documented Petit and his works, revealing the influence of this self-taught artist, whose paintings were appreciated by contemporaries including Sir George Gilbert Scott and Philip Delamotte.
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Petit, who never needed to sell his art, painted free from market pressures and conventions. He avoided idealised depictions of rural and urban scenes, instead striving to portray the true character and authenticity of his subjects.
His work includes traditional subjects such as villages, churches and cathedrals, as well as harsh rural landscapes and depictions of the realities of the Industrial Revolution.
This exhibition of prints and watercolours show Petit as a truly unique artist whose extensive travels saw him paint as far as Egypt and Turkey, but whose most-loved subjects were on his own doorstep.
Tickets £2 for adults to support The Friends of Lichfield Cathedral (pre-sale or on the door)
Children (under 18) go free
With special thanks to The Friends of Lichfield Cathedral and The Petit Society
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J L Petit: The Lost Treasures of Lichfield will be open from 2-4pm on the following dates:
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