Artwork
Hollyhocks
Hollyhocks is an unspecified painting by Ross Turner. It dates from 1888 and is held in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1888, *Hollyhocks* is an oil painting by American artist Ross Sterling Turner. The work presents a loose arrangement of hollyhock blossoms rendered with the luminous, broken brushwork typical of late‑19th‑century Impressionism. Turner's reputation as both painter and teacher places the piece within the broader context of American Impressionist production.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas focuses on a cluster of hollyhock flowers, their tall stems bearing blossoms in soft whites, pinks and yellows. The flowers are set against a warm, golden background that accentuates the cooler hues of the petals, emphasizing the fleeting beauty of a garden in bloom.
Technique & Style
Turner employs a light‑filled palette and visible, rapid brushstrokes to convey the texture of petals and foliage. Highlights fall from an implied overhead source, casting delicate shadows on stems and leaves, which gives the composition a sense of three‑dimensionality and atmospheric depth.
History & Provenance
The painting belongs to the oeuvre of Turner, whose works are held by institutions such as the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. *Hollyhocks* reflects the artist's mature period, when he was actively exhibiting and teaching in Massachusetts.
Context
Produced during the height of the American Impressionist movement, the work aligns with contemporary interests in plein‑air observation and the study of light. Turner’s focus on a single floral subject mirrors the era’s fascination with domestic and garden scenes as vehicles for exploring color and illumination.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ross Sterling Turner (June 29, 1847 – February 12, 1915) was an American painter and educator from Massachusetts.
