The Old Beech Tree

Blandford Fletcher 1858 - 1936

Summary

An autumnal scene set in a woodland glade, with the trunk of a large beech tree being the main focus. A young girl wearing a white cap, and holding yellow flowers and a bundle of sticks, stands behind to the right of the old tree. In the distant background, a man reaches up towards a tree branch. The scene is surrounded by bare trees and the ground is covered in deep red and auburn leaves. The realistic moss and bark detail on the tree is impressive.

Display Label

The Old Beech Tree 1910 William Blandford Fletcher 1858-1936 Oil on canvas A country girl and boy emerge from an atmospherically-lit undergrowth like spirits of the land, while the enormous tree, textured to emphasise its great age, provides a sense of history and continuity. Blandford Fletcher was born over his family’s linen draper’s shop on Tottenham Court Road in London. Never wealthy, but determined to be an artist, he elected to train in Antwerp, Belgium, then considered the cheaper and less morally dangerous alternative to Paris. Gift of Rosamund Fletcher 1988.95