Artwork
Flight of the Magnolia
Flight of the Magnolia is a watercolor work on paper by the Surrealist artist Paul Nash. It dates from 1944 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Flight of the Magnolia is a 1944 watercolour by Paul Nash, depicting a magnolia blossom in motion. The work is part of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art's collection in California.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows a magnolia tree with gently curving branches and large, pale pink flowers against a soft, hazy background of greens and blues, evoking a dreamy, natural scene.
Technique & Style
Nash employed loose, sketchy brushstrokes characteristic of watercolour, creating a light and airy effect as petals and leaves blend into one another.
History & Provenance
The watercolour served as a preparatory study for an oil painting completed in 1945, now in the Tate collection. It was loaned to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art by Margaret Nash in 1960.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Nash (11 May 1889 – 11 July 1946) was a British surrealist painter and war artist, as well as a photographer, writer and designer of applied art.
