The Exceptional Ornithological Paintings of Valentine Paton

'The beauty of nature lies not just in its grandeur, but in its intricate details. It is a masterpiece waiting to be admired'

Joseph Banks (1743-1820)

Valentine Stewart Paton (1925–2012)

Valentine Stewart Paton, known affectionately as Pat, was born on Hayling Island, Hampshire, in 1925. He studied at Canford School in Dorset, where his artistic gift and love of the natural world were nurtured, and his skill in drawing and painting was encouraged and grew alongside an interest in architecture that would later shape his professional life.

He served with distinction in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, training at Cambridge University and other Naval establishments until he qualified in Radar Control. Despite the hardships he experienced under enemy action, he retained an abiding interest in ships and the sea.
After the war Pat trained as an architect at the School of Architecture in London, qualifying in 1951. His architectural career eventually brought him to Cornwall, where he and his wife Jean made their home in Probus, near Truro. Between 1960 and 1974 he designed seven schools for Cornwall and was Architect in Charge of building work for New County Hall, completed and opened by HM Queen Elizabeth in 1966. He retired in 1980.

In the 1980s, Pat produced a remarkable series of sixty scientific paintings of British birds; many of them specimens brought to him by friends. Each was meticulously rendered with accuracy and sensitivity. It is this series of beautiful studies that we are selling in November Timed Art Sale. As can be seen by Pat's correspondance with the RSPB, despite his subjects being mostly road casualties, he was very concerned that his work did not constitute a breach of any laws, as it is an offence to own birds that were illegally obtained. Needless to say, he needn't have worried.

In the 1990s, he collaborated with his wife, Jean Paton MBE, a distinguished botanist, on her book Magnolias in Cornish Gardens published in 2001. Jean’s botanical research was brought vividly to life through Pat’s exquisite illustrations of 120 magnolia varieties found in Cornwall’s great gardens.

Pat, along with his wife Jean, was a founding member of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and served on the Council. He was a member of the RSPB, the Cornwall Bird Watching Society, Butterfly Conservation, the National Trust, Cornwall Garden Trust and the Garden Society.
A selection of his paintings are now held on display at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust headquarters, a testament to his contribution to the charity and his importance to its foundations.

_{Lot 333. Feral Pigeon}

Throughout his life, Pat remained modest about his talent, preferring to give away his paintings rather than sell them. His work speaks eloquently of his character: observant, thoughtful, and passionate about the beauty of the natural world. He was quiet man with a great sense of humour and many friends. 

Lay’s Auctioneers are delighted to handle this extraordinary collection of his ornithological works. Do to the exceptional quality and detail of these works, we would recommend that clients view these paintings in person, as the works really deserve to be pored over and thoroughly scrutinised.