Porter referred to old photographs of the Derbyshire Woods taken during his visits in the 1980s as can be seen in the bright limbs of the clump of trees. In some areas, the tree limbs fade into the dark, a result of PorterÂ’s constant re-working and layering of paint. The painting is significant to the Derby collection for its local geographical resonance, its bold contrasts of light and dark, and PorterÂ’s intense interest in the texture of the paint. The duality of light and dark, to reveal and simultaneously conceal is also a feature of the work of Joseph Wright of Derby. The museum hopes to explore the similarities between the two artists in greater depth.

Provenance

The artist.