Floral Picture
Lawrence Waterbury Johnston (Paris 1871 - La Serre de la Madone 1958)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1907 - 1947
Materials
Oil on paper transferred to canvas
Measurements
1564 x 1150 mm
Order this imageCollection
Hidcote Manor Garden, Gloucestershire
NT 1144077
Caption
Major Lawrence Waterbury Johnston (1871–1958), an American horticulturalist, created the well-known formal gardens at Hidcote Manor from1907, giving Hidcote to the National Trust in 1947. Vita Sackville-West wrote that 'The combination of botanical knowledge and aesthetic taste is by no means axiomatic, but Major Johnston possessed it in the highest degree'. His large bright, almost abstract, flowerpiece is rather more flamboyant and a contrast to the essentially green tones of his gardens. It depicts a whole variety of colourful flowers from lilies, poppies, pansies, irises, roses, hollyhocks, primulas to crocuses. It hung as a mural, directly painted onto the wall, at Kiftsgate Court, next door, which was owned by Heather Muir, a lifelong friend of Major Johnston. The painting was donated to the National Trust by Diany Binny, daughter of Heather, and mother of the present owner of Kiftsgate, in 1980.
Summary
Oil painting on paper transferred to canvas, Floral Picture by Lawrence Waterbury Johnston (Paris 1871 -1958). Depicts an assortment of mixed flowers, lilies, poppies, pansies, irises, roses, hollyhocks, primulas, crocuses etc.
Provenance
Formerly a mural hanging at Kiftsgate Court, since transferred to canvas and donated to the National Trust in 1980 by Mrs Diany Binny of Kiftsgate.
Makers and roles
Lawrence Waterbury Johnston (Paris 1871 - La Serre de la Madone 1958), horticulturist