Artwork
Drawing from a plant, No.3
Drawing from a plant, No.3 is a drawing by Alan Munro Reynolds. It dates from 1952 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Alan Munro Reynolds produced a drawing in 1952 that depicts a single plant, likely a tulip, rendered with a minimalist approach. The work is signed and dated on its front side, while the reverse bears an additional signature and the title. Executed in drawing media, the piece emphasizes form through bold outlines and muted washes, presenting the botanical subject in a restrained, graphic manner.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a plant with broad, rounded leaves and a closed flower bud, arranged in a stacked, plate‑like fashion. The simplified representation suggests an interest in the essential geometry of the plant rather than botanical accuracy, inviting viewers to consider the structural rhythm and the interplay of positive and negative space within a single organic form.
Technique & Style
Reynolds employed swift, sketch‑like strokes to delineate the plant’s outline, using strong black lines to define edges and light gray washes to suggest volume. The flat, graphic quality of the drawing, combined with the sharp twists of the stems, reflects a focus on shape and line over surface detail, aligning the work with mid‑twentieth‑century modernist drawing practices.
History & Provenance
Created in 1952, the drawing bears Reynolds’ signature and date on its recto, confirming authorship and chronology. An additional signature and the title appear on the verso, indicating the artist’s intent to label the piece. The work remains catalogued under Reynolds’ oeuvre, contributing to the documented output of his early post‑war period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alan Munro Reynolds made gentle watercolours and drawings of quiet places. In Hopgarden he shows a patch of hops against a soft sky, all painted in 1957. His Drawing from a plant, No.3 is a careful pencil study of…
