The Advent of Spring 1873

Curator: Walter Crane’s 1873 work, “The Advent of Spring,” presents us with a processional scene rendered in watercolor, although some also identify it as gouache. It’s currently held in a private collection. Editor: It feels like a frieze, this very shallow depth of field combined with the horizontal composition. The muted colors lend a subdued atmosphere to what should be a celebratory image. Curator: Crane draws heavily from classical allegory here. The figures, draped in what appear to be Greco-Roman garments, are clearly not of our present day. They evoke the idea of renewal inherent in the spring season through their dress and gesture. It seems we have women scattering flower, a figure holding the wedding canopy, perhaps she is a nymph from some long lost tale? Editor: Observe the interplay between the various yellows, particularly the pale gold of the canopy and the richer hues of certain robes. This contrast directs the viewer's attention, offering subtle visual cues that give meaning to an overall reading of its composition. Curator: Absolutely! Think of the pre-Raphaelite movement's focus on myth and visual beauty. Crane uses a clear historical allegory in spring to create the same cultural memory with the advent of something refreshing. We see that in those details such as the classically inspired architecture on the hill behind. What could a procession or ritual mean to us, or evoke in us in the present, informed by similar imagery? Editor: And the formal structure supports this too, look at the repetitive, almost rhythmic arrangement of the figures. Crane balances the flatness of the plane and their sculptural mass in very intentional ways. Curator: Crane encourages us to revisit archetypes and renew a psychological connection through his artistic vision, thus offering a deeper reading of the very symbolic idea of "spring" and beginnings. Editor: Through line, color, and form, we witness Crane skillfully creating an image in which to contemplate and discover layers of depth. I see the beauty in its calculated precision.