The Irvine Museum
Irvine, CA
(949) 476-2565
Of Springtimes Past
January 21 through May 1, 1999
Continuing an annual tradition, The
Irvine Museum will display a group of vivid paintings of Spring as portrayed
by California Impressionists painters from 1880 to 1930. "Of Springtimes
Past" is an exhibition of paintings assembled from the museum's extensive
holdings, as well as pieces from private collections.
The nostalgic ideal of California as an unsullied Eden
is evident in numerous paintings executed nearly a century ago. Vast vistas
of gentle rolling hills, covered with brilliant wildflowers as far as the
eye could see, will adorn the walls of the museum. Many of these works were
painted in meadows and plateaus deep in the hills but a surprising number
of them are located in or near what are now bustling cities.
One of California's best know wiIdflower painters lived
in Santa Barbara. John Gamble (1863-1957) was living in San Francisco when
the devastating earthquake and fire of 1906 destroyed his house and studio,
with all his possessions. Abandoning San Francisco, Gamble headed for Los
Angeles, but instead settled in Santa Barbara. An avid student of wildflowers,
he earned national fame for his glorious, color-filled scenes of poppies
and lupines. His colors were so bright that art writers called his paintings
"Gamble's prairie fires."
Granville Redmond (1871 - 1935) is one of the museum's
more requested artists. Redmond, who was deaf and mute, is known for dark,
moody, landscapes as well as dazzling views of wildflowers. Also on view
will be a selection of watercolors by Paul de Longpre (1855-1911), the noted
French flower painter who built a sensational house and rose garden in Hollywood,
long before it became known as a tourist destination. In addition to works
by notable painters, the museum will show examples by lesser-known yet excellent
artists.
Above images from top to bottom and left to right:
Benjamin C. Brown, Blue Mountains in Spring, oil on canvas, 28 1/4
, x 36 inches, collection of Joan Irvine Smith Fine Arts; John Gamble, Goleta
Point, oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches, collection of The Irvine Museum;
Paul DeLongpre, French Bridal Roses, watercolor, 20 x 14 inches,
collection of The Irvine Museum; Granville Redmond, Southern California
Hills, c. 1931, oil on canvas, 25 x 30 inches, collection of The Irvine
Museum. All photos courtesy of Irvine Museum.
Resource Library editor's note:
For biographical information on artists referenced in this article please see America's Distinguished Artists, a national registry of historic artists
Click on images bordered in red to enlarge them.
This article was originally published in 1998.
Rev. 8/27/09
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