Who painted Landscape study II, Isle of Wight?

Landscape study II, Isle of Wight was painted by Paul Nash in 1946.

Where can I see Landscape study II, Isle of Wight?

Landscape study II, Isle of Wight is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Landscape study II, Isle of Wight?

Landscape study II, Isle of Wight is associated with Contemporary Abstract.

Artwork

Landscape study II, Isle of Wight

Paul Nash , 1946

Landscape study II, Isle of Wight is a watercolor work on paper by the Contemporary Abstract artist Paul Nash. It dates from 1946 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Paul Nash’s 1946 watercolour study captures a stark, wintry scene of Boscombe near Bournemouth. Executed in a rapid, unfinished manner, the work presents a snow‑covered ground punctuated by dark silhouettes and distant hills, conveying a sense of quiet desolation.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts an empty landscape under a blanket of snow, with bare trees and scattered rocks emerging from the pale surface. The absence of figures and the muted palette emphasize isolation and the stillness of a cold day.

Technique & Style

Nash employed the fluid qualities of watercolour, allowing pigment to merge softly with the white paper. Loose, swift brushstrokes blend blues and grays into the snow, while darker washes define the sparse forms, creating a delicate balance between detail and suggestion.

History & Provenance

Created while Nash was staying at the Florida Hotel in Boscombe, the study was made shortly before his death, with his wife Margaret Nash present at the time. The work entered public view when it was first lent to a museum in 1960, where it has remained in the collection.

Context

The piece belongs to Nash’s later period, when he turned to more immediate, observational studies after years of war‑related imagery. Its focus on a local English coast scene reflects a shift toward personal, landscape‑based subjects in his post‑war output.

Artist & collection

Artist

Paul Nash

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.