Thorn Trees on a Breconshire Hillside 1904

Henry William Banks Davis painted this hillside scene, probably in oils, focusing on the kind of rural idyll that was popular in Victorian Britain. The colour palette is quite subdued: lots of greens and browns, with touches of white blossom and blue sky, and the overall effect is of a calm, pastoral scene. Up close, you can really see how Davis built up the textures and forms in the landscape. Look at the flock of sheep in the foreground, each one is built from individual strokes of paint. These marks are like soft daubs of white, cream, and gray, and the paint handling is quite soft and blended. The artist also uses these little dots and dashes for the foliage. The way Davis captures light reminds me of Corot, actually. There's the same kind of hazy atmosphere and the same focus on capturing the subtle gradations of light and shadow. Of course, Davis's subject matter is very different. While Corot was more interested in capturing the essence of a place, Davis seems more interested in creating a picturesque scene. But art is a conversation, right?