Dawn

Richmond is now probably best known for his portraiture, however, in his early years he was very much influenced by William Blake. Together with artists such as Samuel Palmer and Edward Calvert based around Shoreham in the 1820s, they formed a group called "The Ancients". They were inspired by the visionary qualities Blake's art and writing, and their pastoral scenes became more than simply idealised, but seemed to be in imbued with an extra spiritual dimension. In Blake's work, God is often suggested by light. By chosing the dawn here, Richmond bathes the sky in rich scarlet tones, suggesting God's omnipotence. The intensity is heightened by the dramatic dark clouds which streak across, hiding some of this light from view and partially obstructing the low, crescent moon. Richmond uses this technique to powerful effect in And there appeared an Angel unto Him from Heaven strengthening him, 1858 (in the collection of the Yale Centre for British Art, conneticut).

An added puzzle to this intriguing multifaceted work is the title. A quote from Banquo, Macbeth (Act II, scene I). For some reason Richmond has altered the passage to read "The moon is up", rather than "The moon is down".