Samuel Palmer

The Gleaning Field

c.1833

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

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In Tate Britain

Walk Through British Art: 1810

Free entry

Artist: Samuel Palmer 1805–1881
Medium: Tempera on mahogany
Dimensions: Support: 305 x 454 mm
frame: 439 x 592 x 62 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Bequeathed by Mrs Louisa Mary Garrett 1936
Reference: N04842

Display caption

Samuel Palmer’s vision of the landscape was shaped by his friendship with the older poet and artist William Blake (1757–1827). Blake’s words in Milton are those of a prophet waiting for liberty and peace to reign: ‘I will not cease from Mental Fight, Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem, In England’s green & pleasant Land.’ This picture shows a scene after harvesting has finished. Palmer, a devout Christian, created images of ‘England’s green & pleasant Land’ that contrasted with the harsher contemporary reality of change and social unrest in the countryside.

Gallery label, February 2016

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