CAMBRIDGE.- The early nineteenth century was a turbulent period of transition for the rural environment, and has clear parallels with issues which face the countryside today, such as safeguarding green spaces and the increased isolation of farming communities.

Although relatively unknown to audiences today, Hills was at the vanguard in promoting the appreciation of watercolour painting among British audiences at the beginning of the nineteenth century. His watercolours - often intimate and spontaneous 'snapshots' of nature and the countryside around him - are highly original, and reveal a freshness of vision that offers us a glimpse into the life of the people who work and live on the land. Drawn exclusively from the Museum’s outstanding collection of British watercolours, they will be shown alongside the drawings and watercolours of contemporary artists such as James Ward, David Cox and Peter de Wint.