Eric Ravilious - Chalk and Ice

[clive heath]

Made it through a windy and wet London to the Dulwich Gallery for the Ravilious show and what an satisfying entertainment it was. Although there was barely a tree in leaf to be seen excepting evergreens and a prevailing wintry and austere mood to the landscapes, there was an unfailing eye for the slightly odd e.g. farmyard junk, a water driven knife-grinder's wheel, a ship's propeller screw on a very detailed flat-bed wagon, a view from a hotel room of the harbour at Rye, for example. The commissioned paintings illustrating aspects of the war effort made for some variety. I think he is a bit of a tease in that he can make these minor but telling adjustments to perspective which at one level just look plain wrong but as the eye/brain is engaged an acceptance emerges. I suppose there is an element of cartoon in the storytelling. There was a 10 minute queue for entry but worth it for watercolours of wit, charm and a very individual personality.

[Serial_Apologist]

The Dulwich Art Gallery is just 10 minutes down my road, I miss a lot of what's on there so thanks for bringing this exhibition to my attention; I shall certainly go and take a good look.

[Cockney Sparrow]

This came up on the "Films you've seen lately" thread (with some subsequent posts about cinema showing dates etc) :

Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War, is a film documentary of the painter’s short life that makes a convincing case for his inclusion as a major figure in the tradition of English landscape painting. His watercolour paintings of the South Downs capture that open rolling landscape in a singular but entirely recognisable way. His woodcuts too are very beautiful. As an official war painter, he served in the early Scandinavian naval campaign, where he painted some remarkable seascapes, and was lost in action at sea when stationed in Iceland, leaving a wife, Tirzah Garwood (herself a talented artist who’s career was tragically cut short) and three young children. Since they were orphaned young, they were unaware their father was an artist, and later discovered many of his paintings stored under a bed! It’s a lovely film. High time Tate Britain mounted a major retrospective.

Just to add, I've noticed this on a recent newsletter I received - "For a list of other venues where the film is showing, visit www.dartmouthfilms.com/eric-ravilious-drawn-to-war". That page lists Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal - 1st October, amongst quite a few others.

https://www.dartmouthfilms.com/eric-ravilious-drawn-to-war

The web page also indicates it can be watched online - Curzon - I think a subscription may be necessary to stream it there, but haven't looked into detail. It also refers to an IFI site - which is located in Ireland and restricts access to streamed content to those located in Ireland.

[gradus]

This came up on the "Films you've seen lately" thread (with some subsequent posts about cinema showing dates etc) :



Just to add, I've noticed this on a recent newsletter I received - "For a list of other venues where the film is showing, visit www.dartmouthfilms.com/eric-ravilious-drawn-to-war". That page lists Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal - 1st October, amongst quite a few others.

https://www.dartmouthfilms.com/eric-ravilious-drawn-to-war

The web page also indicates it can be watched online - Curzon - I think a subscription may be necessary to stream it there, but haven't looked into detail. It also refers to an IFI site - which is located in Ireland and restricts access to streamed content to those located in Ireland.

Thanks for this, I had not heard of the film before.

[ardcarp]

Yes, it came to me a few moments ago while shaving, God's Wonderful Railway of course, ff, amounts to the same thing really and I've even had a ride in the cab on a GWR 0-6-0 pannier tank so I should know!

That reminds me of the pre-privatisation Somerset and Dorset Railway, the S&D, known locally as the 'Slow and Diirty'.

[LeMartinPecheur]

That reminds me of the pre-privatisation Somerset and Dorset Railway, the S&D, known locally as the 'Slow and Diirty'.

Or the Swift and Delightful (perhaps rather less commonly?).

And 'pre-privatisatlon'? Pre-grouping or pre-Beeching, methinks!