Sydney
LONG
Australia
1871
–
London
1955
England, Europe 1910-21; Australia 1921- 22; England 1922-25; Australia 1925-52; England from 1952
23.0 (h) x 16.5 (w) cm
signed and dated ‘SID LONG/ 1910’ lower right private collection, courtesy of Savill Galleries, Sydney
In Trees and figure Long created a pastoral image. Rather than a traditional and solidly realistic landscape, he conjured up a vaguely outlined image, suffusing it with a sense of mystery, of the seen and unseen. The sky seems like a breath, hanging suspended. And a small figure stands still beneath the giant trees, in dreamlike profile – hesitant, paused in motion. It is the trees, with their writhing foliage that fans out above sinuous trunks, that dominate and overpower the scene despite their faded, formalised flatness. This is a dreamscape, an enchanted place where fairytales may be realised – and onto which one can project one’s own imaginings.
The stylised trees resemble those in some of Long’s English work of around 1914, such as The hour of romance (cat 46), which were painted after he had begun studying at the South London School of Technical Art. Thus, although dated ‘1910’ on the image, this work is thought to have been painted in England, then backdated when Long sent it to Australia for sale. It has been dated c 1914, on this basis.
In Trees and figure Long created a pastoral image. Rather than a traditional and solidly realistic landscape, he conjured up a vaguely outlined image, suffusing it with a sense of mystery, of the seen and unseen. The sky seems like a breath, hanging suspended. And a small figure stands still beneath the giant trees, in dreamlike profile – hesitant, paused in motion. It is the trees, with their writhing foliage that fans out above sinuous trunks, that dominate and overpower the scene despite their faded, formalised flatness. This is a dreamscape, an enchanted place where fairytales may be realised – and onto which one can project one’s own imaginings.
The stylised trees resemble those in some of Long’s English work of around 1914, such as The hour of romance (cat 46), which were painted after he had begun studying at the South London School of Technical Art. Thus, although dated ‘1910’ on the image, this work is thought to have been painted in England, then backdated when Long sent it to Australia for sale. It has been dated c 1914, on this basis.
In Trees and figure Long created a pastoral image. Rather than a traditional and solidly realistic landscape, he conjured up a vaguely outlined image, suffusing it with a sense of mystery, of the seen and unseen. The sky seems like a breath, hanging suspended. And a small figure stands still beneath the giant trees, in dreamlike profile – hesitant, paused in motion. It is the trees, with their writhing foliage that fans out above sinuous trunks, that dominate and overpower the scene despite their faded, formalised flatness. This is a dreamscape, an enchanted place where fairytales may be realised – and onto which one can project one’s own imaginings.
The stylised trees resemble those in some of Long’s English work of around 1914, such as The hour of romance (cat 46), which were painted after he had begun studying at the South London School of Technical Art. Thus, although dated ‘1910’ on the image, this work is thought to have been painted in England, then backdated when Long sent it to Australia for sale. It has been dated c 1914, on this basis.
