Monday, June 7, 2010

(Sir) John Gilbert - The Iris




signed and dated 'John Gilbt./1869' (lower left) and signed again 'Sir John Gilbert' (on the artist's label attached to the backboard)
pencil and watercolour with gum arabic, heightened with bodycolour on paper
17 7/8 x 11½ in.

From 1851 onwards, after Sir John Gilbert had given up his career as an estate agent and later on as an illustrator, he devoted himself mainly to watercolours. Gilbert was elected Associate of the Old Watercolour Society in 1852, a full Member in 1854 and was elected President in 1871. In 1876 he additionally was elected Associate of the Royal Academy and subsequently a full member.


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2 comments:

Dolls from the Attic said...

Very nice, I like how the eyes are right away drawn to the Iris, then you notice the other softer blues in the picture that compliment it.
Beautiful.

Hermes said...

Thank you. It's not a great painting but I like her expression (I often look like that!) and the way the Iris complements her skirt.