Regarding Trees

Interesting exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery focusing on how people have drawn trees, an essential element of landscapes as a guide to reading a composition.

The show included real and imagined views and was a nice way of showing pictures from the collection. I loved a Fra Bartolommeo of a bare tree and the commentary pointed out that a bare or winter tree can imply rebirth and also allude to the Crucifixion. There was, of course, a nice Constable, originally just of a tree but a line of wash was added later to place it in a space.

There was a lovely William Turner (Turner of Oxford) of a birch at Christ Church College drawn on blue paper and with a lime green wash on the leaves. Most exciting was a drawing by Claude Lorrain. I don’t think I’ve seen a drawing by Claude before.

Closes on 25 September 2016

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