Artwork
Litlington in the Cuckmere Valley, Sussex
Litlington in the Cuckmere Valley, Sussex is a watercolor work on paper by Rowland Hilder. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Litlington in the Cuckmere Valley, Sussex is a watercolour painting by Rowland Hilder, capturing a serene summer evening scene in a Sussex village.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a rural idyll: a church with a prominent steeple, a farm, and a winding road, where a man and cow cross in the distance, conveying a sense of peaceful everyday life.
Technique & Style
Hilder employs muted colours and gentle brushstrokes to evoke tranquility. Subtle interplay of light and shadow adds depth, guiding the viewer's eye towards the village core.
History & Provenance
Created in 1940 for the 'Recording Britain' project, a wartime initiative funded by the Pilgrim Trust, aimed at documenting Britain's landscape and national identity through art.
Context
Part of a broader effort to capture rural Britain during WWII, focusing on areas considered vulnerable, this work reflects the project's emphasis on preserving national heritage through art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rowland Hilder made quiet, precise watercolours of the English countryside and coast in the 20th century.
Sarratt
Cottage Gardens, Dalham, Suffolk
Winchcombe Pottery (exterior), Gloucestershire
Bow Brickhill, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire
The Mill, Crathorne
The Vicarage, Braughing
The Ford, Braughing
The Village Green, Westmill
Woodford in the Avon Valley
The Green and St.Mary's Church, Marlborough
Coppice Mill, Stone
Saxon Dovecote, Lullington, near Alfriston, Cuckmere Valley