CHICHESTER.- Pallant House Gallery opened a major exhibition on British painter Ivon Hitchens (1893 – 1979) for summer 2019. The largest exhibition of his work since 1989, it considers the whole scope of his career, spanning a remarkable six decades from the 1920s to the 1970s. It provides a fresh perspective on one of Britain’s most admired modern artists, whose paintings brought continental colour to the English landscape.

The exhibition seeks to reappraise Hitchens’ significant contribution to British art, following his journey towards abstraction through over 70 works, from his earliest figurative scenes to his final vibrant abstract paintings. Although Hitchens painted the landscape of the South Downs in Sussex throughout his career, his work transcended location, bringing him a national and international reputation.

1920s and 1930s
Hitchens was a progressive artist in the 1920s and ‘30s. He was one of the earliest members of the experimental Seven and Five Society alongside Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Ben Nicholson. Hitchens’ close friendship with Ben and Winifred Nicholson is reflected in Border Day (Morning, Bankshead) (1925), whilst other friendships inspired works such as Henry Moore in his Studio (1929).

Some of Hitchens’ earliest works have been included, such as Didling on the Downs (c.1922) and Curved Barn (1922), the latter presented by the artist to Pallant House Gallery in 1979. Hitchens was profoundly influenced by European artists, in particular Cézanne, Matisse and Braque, in paintings such as Spring in Eden (1925) and Winter Stage (1936), a break-out work in which Hitchens’ recognisable horizontal format emerged.

1940s and 1950s
The artist’s retreat from London to Sussex at the outset of the Second World War gave rise to an extraordinary body of paintings over the subsequent four decades which were international in spirit despite being rooted in the English landscape. During this time he painted repeatedly at his home near Petworth, and in surrounding locations in the South Downs – Heyshott, Dunction and Iping Common, in particular. By far the greatest part of his work was produced in the six acres of woodland that surrounded his Sussex home, Greenleaves.

Hitchens always remained very aware of developments in modern art both at home and abroad, but from the 1940s onwards he chose to focus on the subject matter close to home. This included the landscapes of Sussex as well as flower paintings, interiors and studies of the nude and of family members, such as Flower Piece (1943) and Piano Player (1944).

1960s and 1970s
The last decade of Hitchens’ life saw continued experimentation and a heightening of his palette, as he spent more and more time at his coastal holiday cottage at Selsey, West Sussex. By this time his works were almost completely abstract, whilst still rooted in the landscape that had provided his subject matter for many decades. Works such as Arno II (1965) and Red Centre (1972) show the power and intensity that Hitchens’ retained in his work into his final years.

The exhibition includes loans from public and private collections across the UK, including Tate, The Hepworth Wakefield, Leeds Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery and Museums Sheffield. Alongside Hitchens’ paintings, a number of drawings, mural studies, photographs and sketchbooks, as well as rare lithographs, are on display.