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Lot Essay
Granville Redmond's depictions of poppy fields are among his most popular and sought-after subjects. In California Landscape with Poppies and Lupine, Redmond creates a beautiful vista with brilliant orange poppies and purple lupines, executed with quick and distinct brushstrokes and masterfully layered in a delicate palette. Further, the strength of the composition is evident as the stand of oaks to the right and the bright flowers dotting the hillside guide the eye toward the vast expanse of marshland, distant mountains and vivid blue sky above, emphasizing the peaceful splendor of the varied California landscape.
"Redmond continued throughout his career to move easily between the poppy paintings that brought him financial success and the quieter, tonalist pictures he found more artistically rewarding." (T.R. Reynolds, "Granville Redmond's Tonalism", Plein Air Magazine, January 2005, p.22) In the present work, Redmond captures both subjects in a stunning exploration of the contrasts of light and atmosphere from the bright foreground blossoms to the subtle palette of the background marshes.
"Redmond, who had a distinctive style, at times somewhat akin to the pointillism produced by certain of the French Impressionists, followed the imperative of a deep personal philosophy. He felt that the artist should approach painting with a positive, untroubled state of mind, knowing clearly what he wished to express and striving to put his soul into each work." (R.L. Westphal et al, Plein Air Painters of California: The Southland, Irvine, California, 1988, p. 93) This soulful and intimate approach is evident in California Landscape with Poppies and Lupine.
"Redmond continued throughout his career to move easily between the poppy paintings that brought him financial success and the quieter, tonalist pictures he found more artistically rewarding." (T.R. Reynolds, "Granville Redmond's Tonalism", Plein Air Magazine, January 2005, p.22) In the present work, Redmond captures both subjects in a stunning exploration of the contrasts of light and atmosphere from the bright foreground blossoms to the subtle palette of the background marshes.
"Redmond, who had a distinctive style, at times somewhat akin to the pointillism produced by certain of the French Impressionists, followed the imperative of a deep personal philosophy. He felt that the artist should approach painting with a positive, untroubled state of mind, knowing clearly what he wished to express and striving to put his soul into each work." (R.L. Westphal et al, Plein Air Painters of California: The Southland, Irvine, California, 1988, p. 93) This soulful and intimate approach is evident in California Landscape with Poppies and Lupine.