Artwork
Benden Abbey, Wool
Benden Abbey, Wool is a watercolor work on paper by Harry Morley. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Benden Abbey, Wool is a 1940 watercolour by Harry Morley, capturing a serene view of an approach road leading to the Gothic gatehouse of Bindon Abbey, framed by bare trees.
Subject & Meaning
The painting focuses on Bindon Abbey's gatehouse, emphasizing its Gothic architecture. The scene conveys a sense of quiet, possibly alluding to the wartime context in which it was created, as part of a project to document endangered British landscapes and buildings.
Technique & Style
Morley employed quick, loose strokes and muted colours (light browns, yellows, with touches of green and blue) to create a sketchy, impressionistic piece. The thin branches of the trees and the dry, courtyard-like ground are suggested rather than meticulously detailed.
History & Provenance
Commissioned under the 'Recording Britain' project (1939-1946), funded by the Pilgrim Trust and directed by Sir Kenneth Clark, this work was part of a larger effort by 97 artists to record Britain's landscape and architecture during WWII, yielding over 1,500 pieces.
Context
Created amidst WWII, the piece reflects the project's goal to preserve a sense of national identity and document scenes at risk due to war or rapid modernization. It primarily focuses on English rural and historic subjects.
Legacy
As part of the 'Recording Britain' collection, Benden Abbey, Wool contributes to a significant archival project. Its style and subject matter place it within a broader movement of wartime documentary art in Britain.
Artist & collection
Artist
Harry Morley (5 April 1881 – 18 September 1943) was a British painter, etcher and engraver known for his classical and mythological compositions.
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