The Minister's Garden

Cecil Gordon Lawson 1851 - 1882

Summary

An enormous painting, looking out of a cottage garden in Sandhurst. The view leads down to lower ground, where there are people working in fields and large patches of forest punctuating the distant landscape. In the nearest field a group of children are being led by a man in dark clothes, and in the distance rolling hills make up the horizon line. In the cluttered garden in the foreground, there are various weeds and plants growing including a low apple tree, a tall hollyhock plant, and three conical straw skeps or beehives as they are commonly known. On the left, just beyond the garden the bottom of a pine tree intersects the canvas. Various greens dominate the vast landscape and the size, perspective and ‘straight on view of the painting makes for a ‘walk-in’ effect.