Who painted Road from Shiraz?

Road from Shiraz was painted by Hugh Maxwell Casson in 1959.

Where can I see Road from Shiraz?

Road from Shiraz is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Road from Shiraz?

Road from Shiraz is associated with Contemporary Realism.

Artwork

Road from Shiraz

Hugh Maxwell Casson , 1959

Road from Shiraz is a watercolor work on paper by the Contemporary Realist artist Hugh Maxwell Casson. It dates from 1959 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Sir Hugh Maxwell Casson’s 1959 watercolour, Road from Shiraz, presents a quiet, sun‑lit landscape in which a meandering road stretches from the foreground toward a distant settlement. Flanked by modest trees and a line of telephone poles, the route disappears behind low hills and a range of mountains beneath a pale blue sky, conveying a sense of open space and calm.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a moment of travel through an Iranian countryside, suggesting both movement and stillness. The road, as a conduit, invites the viewer to imagine a journey, while the gentle horizon and subdued village silhouette evoke a tranquil, perhaps nostalgic, vision of rural life beyond the immediate path.

Technique & Style

Casson employs a restrained palette of soft greens, earth tones and sky blues, applying thin washes that blend seamlessly across the paper.

Casson employs a restrained palette of soft greens, earth tones and sky blues, applying thin washes that blend seamlessly across the paper. Delicate brushwork defines the trees and telephone poles, while broader, translucent strokes render the distant hills, creating atmospheric depth without harsh contrasts. The overall effect is one of understated elegance typical of mid‑century British watercolour.

History & Provenance

The work entered the museum’s holdings after being acquired at a Phillips auction on 16 May 1983, a transaction documented in the Rodney Searight archive. Since its purchase, the piece has remained in the collection, contributing to the broader representation of Casson’s landscape oeuvre within the institution.