John Piper was first introduced to the landscape of North Wales in the late 1930s. He created a series of drawings of the chapels in the area and after the Second World War, returned to capture more of its scenery. His love of travel also led him to contribute to the Shell Guides, encouraging exploration of the British counties. This work on paper documents the small seaside town of Rhyl, showcasing the artist’s distinctive application of watercolour, gouache and ink: its darker tone echoes the intensity of Post-war Britain, while the introduction of colour hints towards Piper’s developing, expressive period.

Piper’s hundreds of visits around the British landscape were all documented with sketches and photographs. Several of the artist’s black and white negatives of Towyn and its church (visible in the present work) are held in the Tate archives.