SELECTED ARTIST

Provenance

Private collections

Following the retrospective held at the Tate in 1963, Hitchens found himself enjoying moderate financial security - buoyed by the promise of long-term support from Waddington Gallery. As a result, he was able to buy an old derelict orchard on the edge of his property, Greenleaves, in West Sussex. It is likely that The Orchard Path relates to this.

In this painting Hitchens' confidence as an artist is joyfully displayed in the freedom with which he handles the paint. Although key features of the orchard are instantly recognisable - the rows of trees and indeed the path itself, it is the sense, smell and atmosphere of the landscape that is more particularly evoked. Hitchens' palette, the contrasting textures he creates and the fluid minimalism of his brushstrokes combine to capture the essence of the place.