Ernest William Haslehust was a superb watercolourist with complete control of this most difficult of specialist mediums. He captured the idyllic English Countryside at its best in all Seasons with unfailing accuracy and with a sensitive feel for each view, be it nature or manmade. Haslehust’s skill at drawing was evident from an early age, he went on to study at the Slade School of Art under Alphonse Legros. Upon graduating, Haslehurst devoted his skills almost entirely to painting British landscapes in watercolour, a genre and medium to which he remained faithful for the rest of his career. Haslehust is celebrated for his masterful watercolours, which are of universal appeal. The technical skill of his work is considerable, and his capacity to capture subtleties of colour and tone have been highly influential for subsequent generations of artists. Whether sharpening his focus on panoramic views or sweeping landscapes, or on details such as rushing streams or snapshots of villages, his works all bear the hallmark of an artist with consummate skill. Throughout his career, Haslehust was a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, the Royal Society of British Artists, the Royal West of England Academy and the Royal British Colonial Society of Artists. He also exhibited regularly at many venues including the Royal Academy of Arts. Haslehust was also a prolific book illustrator. He is best known for illustrating thirty-six volumes of the “Beautiful England” series of travel books published by Blackie and Son Ltd. He also designed posters for the LNER and LMS railway companies and his art was featured in many magazines including the Illustrated London News and The Tatler.