Artwork
A Road through a wood
A Road through a wood is a watercolor work on paper by the Contemporary Abstract artist Audrey Penn. It dates from 1975 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Still, she focused on untouched landscapes, chasing how light falls in forests and clearings.
This watercolor shows a quiet English road cutting through a wood. The trees frame the path, light playing on the ground. Audrey Penn painted it between 1970 and 1980.
She painted until she was 94 but never saw herself as a pro artist. Most of her work stayed private, so records of her career are scarce. Still, she focused on untouched landscapes, chasing how light falls in forests and clearings.
Her work lives at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
The watercolor titled *A Road through a Wood* depicts a tranquil English lane winding through a forest, with trees lining the passage and sunlight dappling the ground. Executed in the 1970s, the work exemplifies the artist’s dedication to portraying unaltered countryside scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on a solitary road that cuts through a wooded landscape, emphasizing the interplay of light and shadow across the forest floor. The painting invites contemplation of the quiet, unspoiled nature of rural England and the subtle changes in illumination within glades and tracks.
Technique & Style
Rendered in watercolor, the piece employs delicate washes to convey atmospheric light and the texture of foliage. The artist’s handling of pigment creates a luminous effect, with soft edges that suggest depth while maintaining the medium’s characteristic transparency.
History & Provenance
Created between 1970 and 1980, the work belongs to the oeuvre of Audrey Penn, who painted well into her nineties. Although she did not consider herself a professional and rarely exhibited, this piece entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it remains on view.
Context
Penn’s practice centered on the English countryside, particularly its untouched woodlands. Her lifelong focus on capturing the fleeting qualities of light in forested settings aligns this painting with a broader tradition of British landscape watercolor.
Artist & collection
Artist
Audrey Penn is an American children's writer. She is best known for writing The Kissing Hand, a picture book featuring anthropomorphic raccoons.
