The Hop Gardens of England, by Cecil Gordon Lawson (1849-1882). Exhibited at Lawson’s posthumous exhibition at the Grosvenor Gallery, Winter Exhibition, in 1882-83, no. 193. Watercolour and gouache over graphite on paper; 15 x 20¾ inches (38.2 x 52.5 cm). Collection of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, accession no. 1908P27.
One of Lawson's few watercolours, this is a sketch for his oil-painting, Hop Gardens of Kent. As Martin Hardie says, "he has condensed and compressed the whole of a county into a space of 10 by 20 inches. It is a drawing which combines a triumphant grasp of detail with magnificent sweep of design; that flight of birds, so thoughtfully and perfectly placed, is an integral part of his ordered pattern. Indeed, in all his work, the broad and poetic effect is enhanced by the aptness of his impressionistic method” (189). Significant differences from the oil-painting include the figure of the man, here purposefully striding instead of strolling leisurely, the greater prominence of the birds and flowers, and the lighter palette. In general, the oil is the more striking composition of the two, indicating that Lawson's changes there were for the better.
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Bibliography
Hardie, Martin. Water-Colour Painting in Britain III. The Victorian Period. London: B. T. Batsford Ltd., 1968.
Created 13 June 2023