The quirky and engaging exhibition space held the work brilliantly. With three main areas to the entire space, each brimmed full of work, two the main gallery rooms and the Bawden Room containing ceramics and book illustrations.
Lithographs from Life in an English Village (1949)-Edward BawdenThe book of this title by Noel Carrington appeared in the King Penguin series in 1949. It contains 16 lithographs all accurately drawn of Great Bardfield, and illustrating the breadth of activity and shops in the village.
Aesop's Fables-Edward Bawden
Bawden executed eight in this series in 1970 to join an existing one done in 1956. The Fry Art Gallery managed to get hold of these in 2006 off the Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers, with assistance from the Art Fund and the V&A Purchase Fund, five of them in one sale, and they joined two already in the collection. In July they then further purchased one more, but are still searching for the "Ant & Grasshopper" to complete the set.
All of the works on one particular wall, the furthest end of the building were by Edward Bawden (1903-1989). Bawden perhaps has the greatest influence of the artists represented in this Collection, through his understanding of design, as a printmaker, and teacher. His diverse interest and talents in design, watercolour, lino-cuts, wallpaper design, posters, advertisements, book illustrations and mural decoration are well represented among the 500 items of his in the permanent collection. These images show Bawden as a printmaker, both in linocut and lithography.
Autumn (1950)
This copy which originally belonged to the artist's friend Sheila Robinson, also has a note on it recording that this print had won the prestigious Giles Award that year. This award gave Bawden additional pleasure because the previous year's award had been won by Micheal Rothenstein and may explain why that artist went to the trouble of adding the note. Familiar landmarks of Great Bardfield appear in the background.
The Blue Tractor (1962)
This is one of the representations of Saffron Walden market, held on Tuesdays, and when the blue tractor and plough were regularly parked there by a local agricultural machinery firm. As each colour is individually applied to each print, variations can be introduced by the Bawden.
Brighton Pier (1977)
Apart from its double size image this, and the one of Liverpool Street, demonstrate the skill needed in simplifying complex iron structures so that their scale and overall impression is still conveyed, while at the same time every detail is registered in such a way that the six different printings for each colour can be successfully accomplished. The overall design uses collaged images at the two sides to good effect .
Liverpool Street Station (1960)
Bawden always had an eye for detail in ironwork, and other similar decorative designs, and here the roof of Liverpool St Station, which in 1960 was still substantially hidden by layers of soot from steam trains, is given prominence.
Saffron Walden Church or Church & Thunderstorm, Saffron Walden (1975)
The church spire, under restoration, is caught in a graphic representation of a violent thunderstorm, executed with breathe taking dexterity. A number of art dictionaries refer to Bawden as being best known as a book illustrator, but from looking at these prints and other work first hand i agree that there is a greater breadth to Edward Bawden than just book illustration.
A very British snow scene by Edward Bawden, depicting children tobogganing outside the artist's home in 1955.
Eric Ravilious too taught by Paul Nash and a life long friend to Bawden achieved great success and recognition in the fields of design, wood engraving, mural decoration, and water colour. His death in a flying accident while a War Artist, curtailed a career of exceptional promise. Exhibitions and publications during 2003, his centenary year, established his name firmly in the forefront of 20th century English artist.
Hull's Mill, Sible Hedingham, watercolour, (1935)
Hull's Mill was a working flourmill situated near Castle Hedingham where the artist had moved in 1934 . The painting shows his, and one of my personal loves towards these watercolours; his characteristic limited palette, his facility and joy with pastoral scenes and the usual suggestion of human (yet absent) presence in the form of the stacked sacks awaiting collection, and the coned exhaust pipe for the diesel engine that we know had been recently installed to the power the mill. Ravilious' range of painting techniques are presented, like in his use of dry brush marks on the left side of the hedge, wet colour base with a darker colour added subsequently on the right side hedge and scraping the paper to bring back the white, seen on the roadway.
Acanthus leaves in a Jug, watercolour, 1938/39
As seen in some of the photographs i have later added in this blog, a similar design which may be connected can be seen in the "Garden Implements" done for Wedgwood in 1939. Incorporating this into the design using a vignette of lines and motifs for the decoration.
Two Cows, Watercolour, 1935
This was probably painted at the same time as Hull's Mill as both were sold as an exhibition at the Zwemmer Gallery, London in 1936, and reflects the artists interest in aspects of rural life. Is is unusual in featuring animals, and has the "feel" that is could have been easily converted into a print.
Bawden and Ravilious both exhibited at the Zwemmer Gallery at an early stage of their thought lives, and Bawden claimed he had never succeeded as much as that, selling everything.
1938- Eric Newton, foremost critic of the time was impressed that Bawden had broken all the text book rules for watercolours "the result is that they are neither slick nor charming nor french. They are dry and worried and patchy. But they are immensely serious" .
Demonstrating a Machine Gun, watercolour and pencil (1942)
This was executed at RAF Sawbridgeworth in the months before Ravilous died in an air accident over Iceland. The sketch of the missing group is in the Towner Gallery, Eastbourne, and the artist intended to add them in his studio once he had completed the watercolour on site. It affords an interesting demonstration of the artist's working methods. It originally belonged to his friend, the artist Peggy Angus.
The Attic Bedroom, Great Bardfield, watercolour, (1932-4)
This dates from the time that Ravilious and Bawden and their wives were occupying Brick House. Previously as bachelors the two artists had rented half of it for weekends, and an opportunity to paint. On his marriage in 1932 Bawden acquired all of it, and the two couples shared it until the Ravilious's moved to Castle Hedingham in 1934. The attic, shown here, carries a number of interesting associations,- the lifebelt may have been left behind by the previous owener, a retired stewardess on a liner; the cacti were collected by Bawden and the whole scene demonstrates the usual absence of destinct human presence that characterised the artist's work up until war years. This room, when compared with others is unusually full of objects. Evidence of previous pencil drawing before watercolour can also be seen on close examination.
One particular wall showed Eric Ravilious' lithographs, a submarine series made by himself whilst at the HMS Dolphin in 1941 while he was working as an official war artist. He died the following year aged 39, and so his early years of promise in watercolour and ceramic design were prematurely stopped. In most of his pre-war watercolours the human form is absent, but in the submarine series the very close proximity of the commander and crew in the conning tower, control room and ward room imposed their presence on the artist.This is also apparent in his other sketches like the one captioned above.
The series
Introductory Drawing
Different Aspects of Submarines
Commander and Periscope
Diver
Working Controls While Submerged
Diving Controls, no.1
Working Controls While Submerged
Testing Davis Equipment
Ward Room, no.2
Ward Room, no.1
Above and below i have added some of my collected photographs from the visit, showing the various prints, books, ceramics and lithographs that i saw. Additionally i was in love with the situation that is Saffron Walden, individual and decorative buildings, houses, the church, shops and the creative picturesque atmosphere that was apparent throughout the small streets.
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