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| My reproduction (acrylic) of Mary’s painting with more sky above the mountains ( see planning views below which indicate more sky) |
Walking George I sometimes visit the cemetery of St. Mary’s opposite Gallows Lane, Beverley. Here, near the entrance is a gravestone to Fred Elwell and his wife Mary. I often visit the Elwell gallery located in Beverley Art Gallery, in the Treasure House. I have admired Fred Elwell’s work, especially since a dear friend told me that he had communicated with him regularly. However, over time I began to realise I admire Mary’s (1874-1952) work. In 1932 she painted this view which includes the Matterhorn. The painting location at Chandolin is a long way north ( compared with another painting from Zermatt, below).
For the 1932 en plein air painting Mary a prepared board was used, it had a bevelled rear edge facilitating the practical benefits of sliding the painting into a storage box as well as aiding it to be pinned to the picture frame. I like the size of these paintings. They are small enough to be carried to the painting location. These en plein air works are so important, they contain ‘time’ and ‘place’, we are there standing with the artist, the air is fresh, we can almost hear sounds. One can imagine their value as an object is perhaps different than that of a studio painting.
Like most of us who paint plein air we sometimes struggle with planning of the painting, we can run out of space. Mary’s painting of this scene from Chandolin, in Switzerland was, I think an example. Studying her painting one at first assumes the skyline has been cut off. It is so close to the edge of the board that the frame moulding hides it. I thought I would try reproducing a version with space above the skyline.
Mary’s painting is called 'The *** from Chandolin Val d'anniviers Valais'. I wondered what the missing word could be. I think it may have been ‘Matterhorn’. I am reminded also, of many years climbing mountains in Cumbria. The elevation is not as high but the effect, looking down at distant valleys is the same. Snow covered mountain tops suggest spring time. I also think it is early morning and we know we are looking south. I hope to do some research into the trip, no doubt with Fred, her husband. In the picture Mary has included an arrangement of conifers on the left hand side, these are wonderfully painted in their own right. The colours are beautifully varied and I think there is a suggestion of high pasture between these trees. As a plein air artist I would love to visit the same spot and paint myself, who knows one day maybe.
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I have also seen another painting which Mary did of the Matterhorn from Zermatt in 1939.
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| View from Zermatt, 1939, 32x35cm. Much closer and more to the west the dark hillside shadow suggests it is early morning. Here again the peak of the Matterhorn almost touches the edge of the painting. |
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| Matterhorn? detail |
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| Developing |
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| My early underpainting |
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