Artwork

October Flowers

October Flowers, by Wilfrid Williams Ball, watercolor, 1906
October Flowers, by Wilfrid Williams Ball, watercolor, 1906

October Flowers is a watercolor work on paper by the Post-Impressionist artist Wilfrid Williams Ball. It dates from 1906 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Wilfrid Williams Ball’s watercolour *October Flowers* (1906) presents a compact autumnal still‑life. The work is signed and dated by the artist, confirming its creation at the turn of the twentieth century. Executed in transparent pigments on paper, the painting measures a modest size typical of intimate domestic compositions.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centres on a garden path bordered by a profusion of late‑season blossoms. White flowers cascade over a left‑hand bush, while vivid red and pink blooms punctuate the surrounding green foliage. In the distance a modest wooden structure is framed by trees beneath a pale sky, suggesting a tranquil, sunlit afternoon.

Technique & Style

Ball employs a loose, rapid brushwork that allows pigments to mingle at their edges, creating soft transitions between hues. The watercolour’s translucency gives the scene a luminous quality, while the gestural strokes convey immediacy, as if capturing a fleeting moment of light and colour on a sunny day.

History & Provenance

Signed and dated 1906, the painting reflects Ball’s mature period when he frequently explored seasonal subjects. Although specific ownership details are scarce, the work is catalogued within the artist’s oeuvre and has been referenced in collections of early twentieth‑century British watercolours.

Artist & collection