Lane Scene at Night

Lane Scene at Night

1872·Oil on paperboard·55 × 43.5 cm (21 11/16 × 17 3/16 in.)

<p>Moonlight floods through tangles of dark, crooked branches, casting deep shadows on the ground that crisscross tracks imprinted in the damp earth by wagon wheels. The moon is just out of view but fills the scene with a strikingly eerie, bright-green hue. In the middle distance, a single cart makes its way down the muddy road, evoking the Romantic trope of lone travelers.</p> <p>John Atkinson Grimshaw has been hailed as “the painter of moonlight” precisely for moody, atmospheric works like this one. Self-taught, he began to paint in the 1850s while working as a clerk at the Great Northern Railway company in Leeds, England.</p>

Catalogue

Year
1872
Dimensions
55 × 43.5 cm (21 11/16 × 17 3/16 in.)

Artist

John Atkinson Grimshaw
John Atkinson Grimshaw

Painting

John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-1893) was a British artist best remembered for his nocturnal cityscapes. These moody scenes, produced in a realistic style influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite movement, are notable for their close attention to light and shadow, along with their uncanny ability to evoke strong emotion. Grimshaw's popularity waned following his death, but modern audiences have demonstrated a renewed appreciation for his stylized depictions of Victorian England, and his work can be found in institutions such as the Tate Gallery, London and the Leeds Art Gallery.

Leeds, UK

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Record

Verified by WattsOS
Year
1872
Dimensions
55 × 43.5 cm (21 11/16 × 17 3/16 in.)
Watts ID
WW-1872-114736

Source

Source
aic
Status
verified

Artist

John Atkinson Grimshaw

John Atkinson Grimshaw

Painting

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