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Cedric Morris’s paintings of birds are amongst his most unique and characterful works. Through his direct observation and deft use of colour, Morris enlivens his bird paintings with a physical presence seldom seen in the work of his contemporaries.

In Morris’s bird paintings, the subjects are nearly always shown mid-movement, either in flight or with their wings spread. For such dynamic compositions, Morris relied on his knowledge of birds combined with, most importantly, his vivid imagination. He never aimed for ornithological accuracy and when questioned on the subject, he once replied: ‘[…] It is my vision and very real to me. Realism is not Reality.’[1]

Morris regularly exhibited paintings of birds, especially during the interwar years, and they were often well received by the critics and public alike. In 1928, he exhibited his work at Arthur Tooth & Sons in London, with one critic praising his ability to crate ‘living, breathing, flying birds, not coloured reproductions of stuffed carcasses.’[2] Morris was able to evoke drama and atmosphere though his bold use of impasto which added movement and energy to his compositions.

By the time this work was painted in 1940 Britain was at war, and Morris, with partner Arthur Lett-Haines, had relocated the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing to their house, Benton End. Throughout the war years Morris painted predominantly still-life works and bird paintings, several of which, including Iris Seedlings (1943) and Peregrine Falcons (1942) are now in public collections.

[1] Morris, C. 1928. Interview by Anita Berry for Design and Art, Arts League of Service. Quoted in St. Clair, A Lesson in Art and Life: The Colourful World of Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett-Haines, Pimpernel Press, p. 31

[2] Anon. 9 May 1928. ‘Birds, Flowers and Landscapes’, Manchester Guardian. Quoted in in St. Clair, A Lesson in Art and Life: The Colourful World of Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett-Haines, Pimpernel Press, p. 70