Artwork
Morning after the first snowstorm in late autumn, Savoy Alps, Lake of Geneva
Morning after the first snowstorm in late autumn, Savoy Alps, Lake of Geneva is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist John Hardwicke Lewis. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
John Hardwicke Lewis created a watercolour in 1915 entitled *Morning after the first snowstorm in late autumn, Savoy Alps, Lake of Geneva*. The work bears the artist’s signature and date, confirming its authorship. It presents a tranquil winter scene rendered in the transparent medium of watercolour, characteristic of early twentieth‑century landscape painting.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures the quiet aftermath of an early snowstorm in the Savoy Alps, with the Lake of Geneva lying still beneath a muted sky. Snow‑capped peaks loom over the water, whose surface mirrors the subdued light, evoking a sense of calm and the subtle transition from storm to serenity.
Technique & Style
Lewis employs fine, layered brushwork and a restrained palette of pale blues, greys, and whites to convey the chill of the scene. Soft transitions between light and shadow give the mountains depth, while delicate washes suggest the thin cloud cover and the reflective quality of the lake’s surface.
History & Provenance
Signed and dated by the artist, the watercolour entered the record in 1915, the year of its creation. Its provenance traces back to Lewis’s own studio, where he documented Alpine vistas, and it has since been held in private collections that specialize in early twentieth‑century British watercolours.
Artist & collection
