Harvest Scene in the South Downs by J D Morris
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Research by David Walton and Anne Matthews
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Acc No 227
Artist J D Morris Artist dates active c.1830-1905 Medium watercolour Size unknown Date painted Donor Dr Michael Haslett, Poulton-le-Fylde Date donated 1 December 2012 This painting has also been known as A Summer Harvest Scene in the South Downs |
Little is known about this celebrated and talented artist who was a member of the Scottish Royal Academy. Although his work
mainly concentrated on Scottish bucolic and lush landscapes, often capturing alluring images of Highland cattle and livestock,
he also painted marine and evocative countryside scenes in the classical nineteenth century tradition, both oil and watercolour.
The three paintings in the Collection provide a fine cross section of his work; in addition to Harvest Scene are Sheep Sheltering
and Seaside Village and Boats. There are numerous images of past auction results online including many fine close-up images
of dogs. One of these, an oil on canvas painting of beagle hunting dogs penned in a kennel for the winter entitled, Hunting Dogs
in Kennel, is signed J D Morris Snr N.A., but to date this is the only reference found where he alludes to himself as either Senior,
or as a Northern Artist.
His paintings form part of National Galleries collections in the United Kingdom and worldwide:
Epping Forest, Essex North Lincolnshire Museum
Highland Lochs (2) Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge
Loch Avon Southampton City Art Gallery
DONOR
This painting was donated by Dr Michael Haslett, who was for many years a GP in Poulton-le-Fylde. His mother-in-law, Edna Sergeant,
had acquired it, along with other paintings by J D Morris, as payment for a fine for a motoring offence, together with his legal expenses.
She had attended court as the clerk of the defending solicitor. This happened during the period 1915-25 (exact date not known). When
Mrs Sergeant died her husband, Frank, came to live with Michael and Isobel in 1960. Michael inherited the paintings on Isobel's death.
Dr Haslett contacted the Friends of the Lytham St Annes Art Collection offering this painting and others when he moved from his home in Poulton-le-Fylde to Lytham.
Other paintings kindly donated by Dr Haslett:
Sheep Sheltering (image below) J D Morris
Seaside Village and Boats (image below) J D Morris
Lakeland Scene, W H Gleave
Mountain Valley W H Gleave
Oak Toad and Grasshopper, engraving unknown artist and engraver
Dogs and Rabbits, silhouette print unknown artist
All Souls College, Oxford Mabel Oliver Rae
Birker Force Cumberland Thomas Allom
Castlerigg Stone Circle James Baker Pyne
Note:
Sheep, posing in Highland landscapes proved to be a very popular genre for Victorian Painters, along with the artist surname 'Morris'.
Along with Sheep Sheltering by the above artist, the Collection also has a painting, Sheep and Goat, by Alfred Morris (active 1852-1896) and Waiting for Master, John Charles Morris (active 1851-1889) - in collaboration with Richard Ansdell. J W Morris (active 1865-1924) was also a prolific painter of ovine scenes.
As Tom Sutcliffe points out on the Art UK website for John Charles Morris, because they do not feature in the Dictionary of National Biography or national dictionaries of artists, it is very difficult to find out whether any of them were related or had any connections with each other. Numerous paintings by all these artists are available to view online.
mainly concentrated on Scottish bucolic and lush landscapes, often capturing alluring images of Highland cattle and livestock,
he also painted marine and evocative countryside scenes in the classical nineteenth century tradition, both oil and watercolour.
The three paintings in the Collection provide a fine cross section of his work; in addition to Harvest Scene are Sheep Sheltering
and Seaside Village and Boats. There are numerous images of past auction results online including many fine close-up images
of dogs. One of these, an oil on canvas painting of beagle hunting dogs penned in a kennel for the winter entitled, Hunting Dogs
in Kennel, is signed J D Morris Snr N.A., but to date this is the only reference found where he alludes to himself as either Senior,
or as a Northern Artist.
His paintings form part of National Galleries collections in the United Kingdom and worldwide:
Epping Forest, Essex North Lincolnshire Museum
Highland Lochs (2) Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge
Loch Avon Southampton City Art Gallery
DONOR
This painting was donated by Dr Michael Haslett, who was for many years a GP in Poulton-le-Fylde. His mother-in-law, Edna Sergeant,
had acquired it, along with other paintings by J D Morris, as payment for a fine for a motoring offence, together with his legal expenses.
She had attended court as the clerk of the defending solicitor. This happened during the period 1915-25 (exact date not known). When
Mrs Sergeant died her husband, Frank, came to live with Michael and Isobel in 1960. Michael inherited the paintings on Isobel's death.
Dr Haslett contacted the Friends of the Lytham St Annes Art Collection offering this painting and others when he moved from his home in Poulton-le-Fylde to Lytham.
Other paintings kindly donated by Dr Haslett:
Sheep Sheltering (image below) J D Morris
Seaside Village and Boats (image below) J D Morris
Lakeland Scene, W H Gleave
Mountain Valley W H Gleave
Oak Toad and Grasshopper, engraving unknown artist and engraver
Dogs and Rabbits, silhouette print unknown artist
All Souls College, Oxford Mabel Oliver Rae
Birker Force Cumberland Thomas Allom
Castlerigg Stone Circle James Baker Pyne
Note:
Sheep, posing in Highland landscapes proved to be a very popular genre for Victorian Painters, along with the artist surname 'Morris'.
Along with Sheep Sheltering by the above artist, the Collection also has a painting, Sheep and Goat, by Alfred Morris (active 1852-1896) and Waiting for Master, John Charles Morris (active 1851-1889) - in collaboration with Richard Ansdell. J W Morris (active 1865-1924) was also a prolific painter of ovine scenes.
As Tom Sutcliffe points out on the Art UK website for John Charles Morris, because they do not feature in the Dictionary of National Biography or national dictionaries of artists, it is very difficult to find out whether any of them were related or had any connections with each other. Numerous paintings by all these artists are available to view online.
Sheep Sheltering by J D Morris, oil
acc. no. 245
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Seaside Village and Boats by J D Morris, watercolour, acc. no. 227
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