Ivon Hitchens was one of England's finest 20th Century landscape painters. Here he is at his delightfully ramshackle Sussex home with his lovely wife Mary.
He'd invited me for tea; it must have been around 1970 ish. His house was FILLED with work, there was hardly enough space to move from one room to another. Every wall was stacked with paintings all leaning against each other, leaving just a few inches to pass between them. So very different to David Hockney's studio that I'd visited just a few days earlier; it had been noticeably empty.
Ivon's influence can still be seen almost everywhere in modern landscape painting. One only has to look at the works of Howard Hodgkin and his acolytes.
When I left his home, Mary picked a large Peony flower for me. Before I reached home it had fallen to pieces. I didn't see either Ivon or Mary again.
Ivon was a quiet, unassuming, man; an example to all painters. Since his death, his paintings now sell for around the £150,000 figure; I think that would have made him smile.
15 comments:
The greatest artists all surround themselves in clutter -- don't you think?
That MUST be true. The proof is out there!
Hi, I saw your comment on Tom Stephenson's blog. Could convince me to mint about 150,000 Pounds because I like the painting of Ivon Hitchens above.
Love: "When I left his home, Mary picked a large Peony flower for me. Before I reached home it had fallen to pieces." The petals of the peonie in a vase make also a very special sound when they fall down - in one silken-dark plop-swoosh - on the table.
Hello Brigitta. Your spelling of 'peonie' looks far better than mine. I know nothing of flowers; only veg'.
When I used to paint myself I always found Mr. Hitchens work an inspiration.
A rather sweet memory and post cro
Indeed so Sir, indeed so.
I was never allowed to paint landscapes. My teachers used to limit me to just the central parts of walls, the bits that could be done with a roller. I was crushed at an early age.
thanks for a great post, set me off to look him up and admire his inspirational paintings.
Not being a painter myself there must be lots of wonderful artists that I have never got to know and he is one of those, so thankyou.
Briony
x
Would have made him smile more if it had happened in his lifetime.
Sad that artists rarely become famous until after they pass isn't it?
I don't know much about art, but I think that painting is beautiful. Thank you for posting that story Cro.
I love the photo...it's so natural and yet really iconic.... you really caught the mood of who they were...super Cro!
Thank you for sharing that special memory. I feel better that my house is untidy!
How wonderful that you got to spend some time with him and his wife. Great memories.
New Ivon Hitchens exhibition on at the Jonathan Clark Fine Art Gallery at the moment. The gallery manages Ivon Hitchens' estate so well worth a look in the flesh. I never found Hitchens' work looked very good small and on the internet.
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