“On the Way to the Spring” (c.1862) by Frederick Richard Pickersgill, 1820-1900

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On the Way to the Spring

Frederick Richard Pickersgill, 1820-1900

c.1862

Oil on panel

37 x 32 cm

Collection: Guildhall Art Gallery Acquisition n. 755

Bequeathed by Charles Gassiot, 1902

A young woman on her way to collect water rests her infant on the top rung of a stile, having set her pitcher on the cross-plank. She looks earnestly into the child's face, perhaps wondering what has caught her attention. [Commentary continues below. Click on this and the linked image to enlarge them, and mouse over the text for links.]

The painting in its frame

John Ruskin had felt in 1857 that "Mr. Pickersgill cannot yet paint a face. A little more hard work, taking his models just as they come, without any fear or flattery, and he will win his spurs" (49). It seems that he has won them by now, because he has caught so well the intentness of the young mother, and the infant's wide-eyed interest in the world around. The Pre-Raphaelitism that Ruskin also noted in Pickersgill's work is evident here too, in the foreground detail, especially in the trunk of the tree. The child's little red sock is a particularly endearing touch.

Photographs, commentary and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee, with thanks to the gallery for allowing photography. You may use the images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and the gallery and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. Click on the images to enlarge them.

Bibliography

Ruskin, John. "Academy Notes." Works of John Ruskin Vol 14. Ed. E.T. Cook and Alexander Wedderbirn. London: George Allen, 1904. Internet Archive. Contributed by the Getty Research Institute. Web. 14 March 2019.

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Created 14 March 2019