Ivon Hitchens British, 1893-1979
'Hitchens in West Sussex provides the most distinguished example of the profound personal identification of a painter with a special place, or landscape.' - Patrick Heron
Ivon Hitchens is widely regarded as being England’s greatest 20th century landscape painter; his work is represented in public art galleries worldwide. In the 1920s and 30s Hitchens was part of a core group of avant-garde artists living in London; working alongside artists such as Piet Mondrian, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Paul Nash and Ben Nicholson. A founding member of the Seven & Five Society which promoted abstract art, Hitchens eventually went his own way, having developed his own characteristic style that was a fusion of both abstract and figurative painting.
When a bomb exploded next to his Hampstead studio in 1940, Hitchens and his family decamped to the Sussex wilderness, near Petworth, moving into a gypsy caravan where he became immersed in the surrounding landscape. The early influence of Cèzanne and Matisse is perhaps most clearly observed in Hitchens’ early landscapes, in which his use of colour and handling of space can be traced back to the French Impressionists. The earthy colour landscapes of the 1940s evolved into vibrant colour and broad and fluid strokes.
'Hitchens’s sensuousness, his control of colour-resonance and his almost calligraphic, unfailingly rhythmic manipulation of pigment all stem direct from the Fauves. His spatial grammar, on the other hand – the fact that he conceives of forms in space in terms of a system of flat screens of colour lying one behind another – this is purely Cubist in origin.' – Patrick Heron
In this painting, Hitchens presents a collection of objects arranged against a backdrop of lush foliage and vibrant blooms. The composition is dynamic and balanced, with each element carefully positioned to create a sense of harmony and unity within the scene. The colours are rich and saturated, with hues of green, yellow, and blue dominating the palette, reflecting the verdant abundance of the summer landscape. The objects themselves are rendered with loose, gestural brushwork, imbuing them with a sense of energy and movement. The textures of the fruits, flowers, and foliage are rendered with sensitivity and nuance, adding depth and dimension to the composition. The interplay of light and shadow adds further complexity to the scene, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
At the same time, there is a sense of tranquility and serenity to "Summer Still Life," as Hitchens captures the essence of a lazy summer day spent in communion with nature. The abundance of fruits and flowers suggests a sense of abundance and fertility, while the subtle shifts in colour and form convey a sense of the ever-changing beauty of the natural world. Hitchens' approach to composition is dynamic and fluid, with the arrangement of forms and colors creating a sense of rhythm and movement within the painting. The juxtaposition of organic shapes and geometric patterns adds visual interest and complexity, inviting viewers to explore the intricacies of the scene.