An atmospheric early 20th-century oil by William George Robb (1872-1940), depicting an elegant picnic gathering beneath the trees at Limpsfield, Surrey, painted in 1912.
Robb places the figures within a softly painted woodland landscape, using muted greens, greys and earthy tones to create a hazy, almost dreamlike setting. Against this restrained palette, touches of pink, coral, cream and red pick out the picnickers and draw the eye across the composition. The loosely handled foliage and atmospheric light give the work an immediacy quite different from a conventional formal figure painting.
The subject is particularly characteristic of Robb. Picnics, fêtes champêtres and elegantly dressed figures gathered or promenading within wooded landscapes recur throughout his work, making this a good example of one of the artist's most recognisable themes.
Details
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Artist: William George Robb (1872-1940)
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Title: The Picnic, Limpsfield
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Date: 1912
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Medium: Oil on canvasboard
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Signature: Signed
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Verso: Signed, titled, located and dated, inscribed “The Picnic / W G Robb / Limpsfield / 1912”
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Visible artwork: 26.5 × 34 cm (10.5 × 13.5 in)
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Framed size: 42 × 50 cm (16.5 × 19.5 in)
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Condition: Artwork and frame in very good condition. There is a slight scratch to the surface which may have been caused by the artist during the painting process.
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Provenance: From a private collection.
The Picnic and Limpsfield
The inscription identifies the setting as Limpsfield in Surrey, an area consistent with Robb's documented interest in painting landscapes in Surrey and Sussex.
The picnic belongs to a recurring theme within his work. Robb produced numerous paintings of figures assembled in parkland and woodland settings, including works titled The Picnic and Fête champêtre. These compositions combine landscape painting with small groups of colourfully dressed figures, sometimes suggesting the tradition of the fête galante.
In this 1912 painting the figures are relatively small within the landscape. Robb uses their brightly coloured clothing as accents against the subdued woodland, giving the gathering an almost fleeting quality.
About the Artist
William George Robb (1872-1940) was a British painter born in Ilfracombe, Devon. He studied at Aberdeen School of Art before continuing his artistic training in Paris, where his teachers included William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Edmond Aman-Jean.
Robb developed a substantial exhibiting career. His work was shown at the Royal Academy, Fine Art Society, Baillie Gallery, Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, Manchester City Art Gallery and in Paris. The Fine Art Society staged a substantial one-man exhibition of his paintings in 1920.
Although Robb painted landscapes and coastal subjects, his decorative figure compositions form an especially distinctive part of his work. Groups picnicking, promenading, making music or gathering within wooded landscapes appear repeatedly throughout his career.
Paintings by William George Robb have subsequently been offered by major auction houses including Christie's and Bonhams.
