Harvesters at Sunset. Sir Alfred East, 1844–1913. Oil on canvas, 15 ¾ x 23 ¾ inches; signed. Courtesy the Maas Gallery London. Click on image to enlarge it.
Maas Gallery Commentary
This picture was painted quickly, as suggested by the fast and vigorous brush and palette knife marks, to catch the evanescent sunset. It was probably painted en plein air in the Savoie, one of East’s favourite painting haunts. He visited the area on at least six occasions between 1895 and 1910, staying at Aix-les-Bains. East was an innovative painter, much influenced by ‘direct’ painting in France. In his book The Art of Landscape Painting in Oil Colour (Cassell, 1919) he wrote: ‘Build up your picture from the broad masses; don’t finish your trees, or your sky, or your distance first. Work on them all at the same time, keeping them in tone like an orchestra. Keep them all in hand like a musical conductor. Have no false notes, no discordant line or colour’ (p 30). ‘You watch for your effect, which is coming on. You know it occurs at the moment of impact of that shadow upon the mass of trees which you have noted before. It is the supreme crisis when everything, as it were, will sing in tune. The clouds roll majestically forward and reveal the very form you desire. You are, of course, standing at your easel. No man ever painted a great sky sitting. You hold your breath in the excitement of the moment, you know what it means to your work; but do not hesitate, do not flinch’ (p 102).
The Maas Gallery, 15a Clifford Street, London W1S 4JZ has most generously given its permission to use in the Victorian Web information, images, and text from its catalogues, and this generosity has led to the creation of many valuable documents on painting and drawing. The copyright on text and images from their catalogues remains, of course, with the Gallery. Readers should consult their website to obtain information about recent exhibitions and to order their catalogues. [GPL]
Last modified 23 June 2022