Student Artwork Guide — Study for 'Hyperion'

Name Class Date

George Frederic Watts, Study for 'Hyperion'. Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist: George Frederic Watts topimpressionists.com/en/artists/george-frederic-watts/
Artist’s dates: 1817 – 1904
Movement: Symbolism Pictures where objects stand for ideas — a flower or a door meaning something beyond itself.

Copyright This work is in the public domain. George Frederic Watts died in 1904; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1974.

Study for 'Hyperion' — George Frederic Watts

When might this have been painted?

first works
late works

1810
1820
1830
1840
1850
1860
1870
1880
1890
1900

02
312
1322
2332
3342
4352
5362
6372
7382
8387

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 87 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of George Frederic Watts (1817–1904) every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1877 Main working years: 1877–1890 Late works: from 1890

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

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

The Minotaur, 1885 topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-frederic-watts-the-minotaur-D3UAB8-en/
The Minotaur, 1877 topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-frederic-watts-the-minotaur-8BWQCC-en/
Chaos, 1875 topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-frederic-watts-chaos-D3UBDJ-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/george-frederic-watts-study-for-hyperion-8BWQBV-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Espresso #38311d

Catalogued palette

#38311D
#8B6334
#181D13
#5F4525

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: Espresso
Intensity: Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Serene How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Strong Color Unity How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Deep_shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Subtle Color 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 George Frederic Watts over the last twelve months — 8 countries in all. Where these figures come from

The ten leading countries

1 China 52.9%
2 Argentina 11.8%
3 Hong Kong 8.8%
4 Singapore 8.8%
5 United States of America 8.8%
6 Spain 2.9%
7 Iran 2.9%
8 Italy 2.9%

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 20 most looked-at works by George Frederic Watts

1 The Minotaur, 1877 14.3%
2 The Minotaur, 1885 9.5%
3 Portrait Of The Countess Somers 4.8%
4 Orpheus and Eurydice (Detail) 4.8%
5 The Creation of Eve 4.8%
6 Seated Female Nude 4.8%
7 The Minotaur, 1885 2.4%
8 Hope, 1886 2.4%
9 Hope, 1886 2.4%
10 She Shall be Called Woman, 1880 2.4%
11 Endymion, 1872 2.4%
12 Jonah, 1894 2.4%
13 Portrait Of A Lady 2.4%
14 Orpheus and Eurydice 1 2.4%
15 Portrait Of The Artists Wife Mary 2.4%
16 Dweller in the Innermost 2.4%
17 Study For Coriolanus 2.4%
18 Time Death and Judgement, 1900 2.4%
19 Adriadne on the Island of Naxos 2.4%
— Study for 'Hyperion' this painting 0.0%

Together these works take 74.2% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 146 works by this artist, of which 30 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

George Frederic Watts

Born in Marylebone, United Kingdom

early life and education

george frederic watts, a prominent figure in the symbolist movement, was born on february 23, 1817, in marylebone, london. his early life was marked by delicate health and the loss of his mother at a young age. watts' father, a piano-maker, provided him with a conservative christian education and introduced him to the classics, including the iliad. this classical influence would later become a cornerstone of his artistic style.

career

watts began his artistic journey at the age of 10, learning sculpture under william behnes. he later enrolled as a student at the royal academy schools at 18. his first exhibition at the academy in 1837 marked the beginning of his prolific career.

caractacus, a drawing submitted for a competition to design murals for the new houses of parliament, earned watts a first prize in 1843.

his subsequent travels to italy (1843-1847) and his association with the british ambassador henry fox influenced his style, as seen in his portrait of lady holland, exhibited in 1848.

watts' return to britain led to a commission for a fresco in the houses of parliament, which he completed between 1848 and 1853.

symbolist masterpieces

watts' most famous works include:

hope and love and life, intended as part of an epic symbolic cycle called the "house of life."

the triumph of the red cross knight (from the faerie queene), completed in 1852-53, showcases his mastery of allegorical subjects.

his portrait of actress ellen terry, painted in 1864, exemplifies his ability to capture the essence of his subjects.

legacy

watts' influence on the art world is undeniable. his association with the symbolist movement and his innovative use of color and form have made him a beloved figure in the history of british art. view george frederic watts' artworks on AllPaintingsStore.com

museums featuring watts' work

lincoln's inn, featuring his fresco justice, a hemicircle of lawgivers.

the watts gallery – artists' village in guildford, united kingdom, dedicated to preserving watts' works and other artists.

discover more about george frederic watts and his contributions to the symbolist movement on AllPaintingsStore.com.

Where to read more

The artist George Frederic Watts topimpressionists.com/en/artists/george-frederic-watts/
Similar works More works to compare topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/george-frederic-watts-study-for-hyperion-8BWQBV-en/

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Study for 'Hyperion'

topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/george-frederic-watts-study-for-hyperion-8BWQBV-en/

Cite this artwork

MLA: Watts, George Frederic. Study for 'Hyperion'. n.d., https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-frederic-watts-study-for-hyperion-8BWQBV-en/
APA: Watts, George Frederic (n.d.). Study for 'Hyperion' [Painting]. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-frederic-watts-study-for-hyperion-8BWQBV-en/
Chicago: George Frederic Watts. Study for 'Hyperion'. n.d. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-frederic-watts-study-for-hyperion-8BWQBV-en/
Harvard: Watts, George Frederic (n.d.) Study for 'Hyperion'. Available at: https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-frederic-watts-study-for-hyperion-8BWQBV-en/

Study for 'Hyperion' — George Frederic Watts

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?
Our catalogue files this work under: study. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
Look back at The Minotaur (1885), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
Symbolism: Pictures where objects stand for ideas — a flower or a door meaning something beyond itself. Where can you see that in this work?

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

What color leads the composition of "Study for 'Hyperion'" by George Frederic Watts?

The color that stands out most in "Study for 'Hyperion'" is espresso (#38311d). The dominant color is useful when matching an artwork to an interior.

What color palette is used in "Study for 'Hyperion'" by George Frederic Watts?

The palette of "Study for 'Hyperion'" by George Frederic Watts is described as earthy. It is a compact description of the work's colors.

How do the colors of "Study for 'Hyperion'" relate to each other?

The color harmony of "Study for 'Hyperion'" is recorded as strong color unity.