William Tell (Original)

Artist: Roger Payne
Medium: Watercolour on Board
Size: 16" x 9" (400mm x 240mm)
Date: 1980
Code: PayneTell

This is the unique original Watercolour painting by Roger Payne.

The famous Swiss Patriot William Tell. One day he went with his little son Walter to the village of Altdorf and as they passed through the marketplace William Tell noticed that a cap had been set up on a pole. He paid no attention to it until two soldiers came up and arrested him, saying that Gessler, the Austrian bailiff, had ordered everyone to bow down before the cap.

Just then Gessler came riding by and stopped to ask what had happened. He had heard that Tell was a famous shot and promised to free him if he would show his marksmanship by shooting an apple off his son's head at 150 paces. Reluctantly, William Tell agreed and drew out two arrows. One he stuck in his belt, the other he shot straight into the centre of the apple. Even Gessler cried out in admiration but before he would let William Tell go he asked why he had drawn out the second arrow. Originally published in a book about famous soldiers in history, title and date unknown.