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Although Cedric Morris is best known as a painter and breeder of irises, he also had a deep fondness and appreciation for poppies and they frequently feature in his still-life works.

By the 1950s, when this work was painted, the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing (EASPD), set up by Morris and his partner Arthur Lett-Haines (known as ‘Lett’) earlier in 1939, was in full-swing. The school was based at Benton End, a 16th century house which was also Morris and Lett’s home. When not watching over the students Morris was tending to his garden, which by this date had gained international fame with hundreds of people attending the annual open-days. Rows of flowers and plants were arranged in tiers within an old orchard and were enclosed by an encircling and modestly sized brick wall. Morris’s garden, much like his painting, was primarily motivated by a desire to capture the beauty inherent in naturally contrasting forms and tones.

Morris’ understanding of colour combined with his deep knowledge of flowers has rightly earned him a reputation as one of the most accomplished flower painters of the twentieth century. Rightly called an ‘Artist Plantsmen’ Morris manages to capture not just an accurate likeness but also a sense of character in his flower paintings. These works are often likened to portraits, each with a personality and a story to tell. The richness of his floral depictions also play a part in this illusion. Morris would always work on canvas, which had the necessary ‘give’, and applied his paint unsparingly, working in a series of small strokes horizontally, line by line, from the top left corner of the canvas to the bottom right. Millie Hayes, student at the EASPD, recalls Morris advising students not to draw with paint but rather to ‘bounce’ with it across the canvas.[1] It is this unique technique that infuses Morris’ works with a liveliness and a direct sense of presence, as though the viewer is transported into the garden at Benton End.

Stylistically this painting fits comfortably into the body of work Morris was painting in the 1950s. These works typically have a smoother surface with less impasto and the colouring also tends to be brighter, especially the oranges and pinks.

The present work was painted in the 1950s and depicts a colourful assortment of poppies and sweet peas and were picked from Morris’s garden, placed in a jug that Morris likely brought back with him from one of his many travels abroad during his lifetime. Along with varieties of exotic seeds he brought back, this jug makes reference to the fulfilment he felt whilst travelling abroad and the direct inspiration he drew from his trips. The inspiration drawn from travelling continues to play a large part in the legacy Morris leaves behind. Just as Morris was a highly regarded teacher of art, he disseminated his knowledge and discoveries of plants to fellow enthusiasts, noting that he was not the creator of something but as a link in a chain of plantsmen and women who would continue the work after he was gone.[2] Morris’ eyesight began to fail soon after he made this trip and he stopped painting in 1975, his works can be seen as an extension of his lifelong affinity with plants and the inquisitive nature he took with him on his travels. To this day, they provide a tender insight into his working methods and his unique ability to capture the inherent beauty in nature. This painting clearly demonstrates the values that Morris upheld most in his art and life; colour, form, plants and travel.

[1] Morphet, R., Cedric Morris (London: The Tate Gallery, 1984), p.90.
[2] Morphet, Cedric Morris, p.66.