A Hymn to Spring
Cecil Gordon LAWSON
(British, 1851-1882)
A Hymn to Spring
Date1871-1872
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensionsoverall: 60 x 40 in. (152.4 x 101.6 cm)
frame: 74 x 54 x 3 1/2 in. (188 x 137.2 x 8.9 cm)
ClassificationPAINTINGS
Credit LineSBMA, Gift of Lord and Lady Ridley-Tree
Object number1995.25.1
Subject(s)
- spring
- landscape
- flowers
- plants
Collection
- 19th century European
On View
Not on viewCollections
Label TextLawson was part of the Idyllists, who were united by their background in illustration and their idealistic take on subjects that other artists approached in a grittier way. This painting, based on an illustration by Lawson to accompany a poem, displays the Idyllist blend of realism and idealism by including highly detailed foliage and atmospheric effects amid a serene landscape with a perfectly placed white dove. Despite its appealing qualities, the Royal Academy rejected this painting for its 1872 exhibition. Britain’s leading art institution declined many of Lawson’s works, despite his critical acclaim and success in other galleries and exhibitions.
