Student Artwork Guide — Autumn Flowers

Name Class Date

Dod Procter, Autumn Flowers (1946). Reproduced for reference; rights reserved by the rights holder. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist: Dod Procter topimpressionists.com/en/artists/dod-procter/
Artist’s dates: 1890 – 1972
Painted: 1946
Original size: 65 x 56 cm

Copyright This work is still under copyright. Dod Procter died in 1972; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it remains in force until 2042. The image is shown here for classroom reference; rights remain with the rights holder.

Autumn Flowers — Dod Procter

How big is it?

The original measures 65 × 56 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

When was this painted?

1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970

09
1019
2029
3039
4049
5059
6069
7079
8082

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 82 at death.

Painted when the artist was 56. The artist lived to 82. 12 of the 13 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Dod Procter (1890–1972) ▲ this work, 1946 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1926 Main working years: 1926–1936 Late works: from 1936

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Self Portrait topimpressionists.com/en/art/dod-procter-self-portrait-AQSGUX-en/
Tolcarne Inn, 1935 topimpressionists.com/en/art/dod-procter-tolcarne-inn-AQSGTT-en/
Aunt Lilla, 1943 topimpressionists.com/en/art/dod-procter-aunt-lilla-AQSGU7-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/dod-procter-autumn-flowers-AQSGTK-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Gray #616562

Catalogued palette

#616562
#7E7F7E
#A3A295
#5B4334

These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

Palette: Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
Main colour name: Gray
Intensity: Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Gentle How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Discordant Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Balanced How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Muted How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

Where in the world is this painting looked at?

under 1%
1–3%
3–8%
8–20%
20% and over

This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Dod Procter over the last twelve months — 4 countries in all. Where these figures come from

The ten leading countries

1 China 70.0%700 visits
2 Austria 10.0%100 visits
3 United Kingdom 10.0%100 visits
4 Netherlands 10.0%100 visits

Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

The 11 most looked-at works by Dod Procter

1 Ancilla with an Orange 18.8%300 visits
2 The Orchard, 1934 18.8%300 visits
3 Self Portrait 12.5%200 visits
4 Little Sister 12.5%200 visits
5 The Pearl Necklace, 1941 6.2%100 visits
6 Aunt Lilla, 1943 6.2%100 visits
7 Early Morning, Newlyn, 1926 6.2%100 visits
8 Winter Scene from the Artist's House, Newlyn 6.2%100 visits
9 Nasturtiums 6.2%100 visits
10 Sketch of Burmese Children 6.2%100 visits
— Autumn Flowers, 1946 this painting 0.0%0 visits

Together these works take 99.8% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 24 works by this artist, of which 10 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

Artist

Dod Procter

Born in Hampstead, United Kingdom

Early Life and Education

Born: Doris Margaret Shaw, 21 April 1890, Hampstead, United Kingdom

Died: 31 July 1972

Nationality: English

Her father was a ship's doctor and her mother a former art student.

The family moved to Tavistock, Cornwall in 1907.

She enrolled at the School of Painting run by Elizabeth Forbes and Stanhope Forbes in Newlyn at age 15.

Met Laura Knight, who became a lifelong friend and influence.

Studied at Atelier Colarossi in Paris alongside Ernest Procter.

Artistic Development and Influences

Influenced by Impressionism and Post-Impressionism movements.

Mentored by Elizabeth Forbes and Stanhope Forbes.

Inspired by artists like Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Paul Cézanne.

Developed a distinctive style characterized by sensual portraits of women and Cornish landscapes.

Early works included illustrated "Nature Notes" sent to her father at sea.

Major Works and Achievements

Morning (1927): Her most famous work, a portrait of a fisherman's daughter that caused a sensation and was bought by the Daily Mail for the Tate Gallery.

Early Morning: A smaller version of "Morning" held by the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

Series of simplified, monumental images of young women (c. 1922).

Commissioned to decorate the Kokine Palace in Rangoon with her husband Ernest Procter.

Exhibited at the Royal Academy on numerous occasions.

Awarded "Picture of the Year" at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1927 for “Morning”.

Later Life and Legacy

After Ernest's death in 1935, she travelled extensively to the United States, Canada, Jamaica, and Africa.

Became President of St Ives Society of Artists (STISA) in 1966.

Member of several artists organizations including the Newlyn School.

Buried next to her husband at St Hilary Church, Cornwall.

Her work is recognized for its evocative portrayal of Cornish life and its contribution to early twentieth-century British art.

Historical Significance

A prominent figure in the Newlyn School of artists.

Known for her unique vision and style that captured a sense of modernity.

Her portrait "Morning" is considered a significant work of 20th-century British art, praised for its “sensuous but sombre style” and depiction of Cornish light.

Contributed to the development of portraiture in Britain during the early 20th century.

Where to read more

The artist Dod Procter topimpressionists.com/en/artists/dod-procter/
Similar works More works to compare topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/dod-procter-autumn-flowers-AQSGTK-en/

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Autumn Flowers

topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/dod-procter-autumn-flowers-AQSGTK-en/

Cite this artwork

MLA: Procter, Dod. Autumn Flowers. 1946, https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/dod-procter-autumn-flowers-AQSGTK-en/
APA: Procter, Dod (1946). Autumn Flowers [Painting]. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/dod-procter-autumn-flowers-AQSGTK-en/
Chicago: Dod Procter. Autumn Flowers. 1946. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/dod-procter-autumn-flowers-AQSGTK-en/
Harvard: Procter, Dod (1946) Autumn Flowers. Available at: https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/dod-procter-autumn-flowers-AQSGTK-en/

Autumn Flowers — Dod Procter

Look closely

Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

What catches your eye first, and why?
Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
Look back at Self Portrait, earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
Dod Procter was about 56 when this was made. What in it looks like the work of an artist at that stage?
What might the artist have wanted you to feel?

Your response

Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

Questions & Answers

Does "Autumn Flowers" show strong light-dark contrasts?

"Autumn Flowers" by Dod Procter shows a gentle contrast between its light and dark areas.

What orientation does "Autumn Flowers" by Dod Procter have?

"Autumn Flowers" by Dod Procter is a portrait composition. The proportions are worth checking before choosing a print size.

Why is the copyright status of "Autumn Flowers" what it is?

"Autumn Flowers" by Dod Procter is still protected by copyright. Copyright duration runs from the artist's death, which occurred in 1972.