P1, P2, P3, M1, D1
Stanley Spencer (1891-1959) – Cactus in a Greenhouse, Cookham Dene 1939, Oil On Canvas
Spencer painted landscapes and still life throughout his career. His flower paintings generally showed exotic garden varieties from unexpected viewpoints. This depiction of cactus in a green house is shown form an unexpected angle, and is intense in its observation of the plants and their haphazard arrangement on the bench.
I love the simplicity of the subject – the cactus remind me of my father and his hours spent in the greenhouse. And also the winter months when the cactus were moved into the house to protect them from the cold – usually in wooden apple trays.
Pierre Hubert Subleyras (1699-1749) – Saint Eusebius 1744 – Oil On Canvas
Richly painted with strong tonalities, this oil sketch conveys a sense of profound spirituality. The kneeling figure would appear as a large scale altarpiece that Subleyras painted for the church of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Rome, depicting the crucified Christ with Mary Magdalen.
Subleyras studied the expressive potential of this half- shadowed figure in a small sketch, giving special attention to the heavy folds of drapery. The dramatically lit altarpiece displays the same dignity and restraint.
I love the light behind the subject’s head. It has a religious tone but also appears as photographic studio lighting with a black background. At first glance it could be a photo rather than a painting.
The Bigger Picture 