Albert Daniel Rutherston 1881-1953

This colourful landscape depicts the hills outside Grasse on the French Riviera in the hills north of Cannes, where Albert Rutherson spent part of 1910 with his friend and fellow Slade student Gerard Chowne. In this year, his work underwent a significant stylistic shift from detailed realism to small-scale, often imaginary landscapes, sometimes peopled with figures, and executed predominantly in watercolour. These were frequently used as book illustrations, set designs and decorative murals. Rutherston also experimented with silk as a support for a number of similar watercolour landscapes, following in the footsteps of artist Charles Conder, who was also a close friend.