Tomb in Hurley Churchyard

Hussey employed quick, loose strokes and fast, sketchy lines to convey light and shadow, particularly on the tomb’s edges. The muted palette of greens, browns, and grays contrasts with the tomb’s white stone, achieving a sense of depth and highlighting the subject.

Created in 1940 for the Recording Britain collection, this watercolour was part of a wartime initiative (1940-1943) funded by the Pilgrim Trust and led by Sir Kenneth Clark, aiming to record vulnerable English sites through over 1,500 artworks by 97 artists.

The piece is contextualized within the Recording Britain project, a response to the threats of wartime destruction and post-war modernization, underscoring the importance of preserving England’s cultural and architectural heritage.

As part of the extensive Recording Britain collection, Tomb in Hurley Churchyard contributes to a significant archival record of England’s wartime-era landscapes and architectural heritage, now housed in various national collections.