Who painted The Southdown, Underhill Road: Westwards from Poynings?

The Southdown, Underhill Road: Westwards from Poynings was painted by Charles Knight in 1940.

Where can I see The Southdown, Underhill Road: Westwards from Poynings?

The Southdown, Underhill Road: Westwards from Poynings is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is The Southdown, Underhill Road: Westwards from Poynings?

The Southdown, Underhill Road: Westwards from Poynings is associated with British Romanticism.

Artwork

The Southdown, Underhill Road: Westwards from Poynings

Charles Knight , 1940

The Southdown, Underhill Road: Westwards from Poynings is a watercolor work on paper by the British Romanticist artist Charles Knight. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The Southdown, Underhill Road: Westwards from Poynings is a 1940 watercolour by Charles Knight, created under the Recording Britain project. This initiative aimed to document the British landscape during wartime, capturing its character amidst threats from conflict and modernization.

Subject & Meaning

The piece depicts a serene West Sussex countryside with rolling hills, small farms, and a winding road leading to distant buildings. The scene embodies efforts to preserve a sense of national identity and document potentially vanishing landscapes.

Technique & Style

Knight employed thin, delicate strokes and a muted palette of soft greens, browns, and pale blues, with subtle darker accents. The work retains a sketch-like, almost unfinished quality while maintaining discernible details.

History & Provenance

Commissioned by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime and funded by the Pilgrim Trust, this watercolour is part of a collection of over 1,500 works. Sir Kenneth Clark oversaw the project, which supported artists during wartime.

Context

Created during World War II, the painting reflects the era's focus on preserving cultural and geographical heritage. It is part of a broader national project to record topographical views across the UK.

Legacy

The Southdown, Underhill Road contributes to the Recording Britain collection, now a significant archive of Britain's wartime landscape. Similar works can be found at the Victoria and Albert Museum, showcasing this period's artistic documentation of the British countryside.