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Student Artwork Guide

Three Figures

Name Class Date

George Morland, Three Figures. Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
George Morland topimpressionists.com/en/artists/george-morland/
Artist’s dates
1763 – 1804
Movement
Baroque Dramatic, theatrical pictures using deep shadow and strong diagonals to pull you into the action.

In context

Three Figures — George Morland

When might this have been painted?

  1. 1760
  2. 1770
  3. 1780
  4. 1790
  5. 1800

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 41 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of George Morland (1763–1804) every dated painting, decade by decade

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

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-morland-three-figures-9DH5HB-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Espresso #343330

    Catalogued palette

    • #343330
    • #4E4237
    • #3F3A34
    • #655440

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

    Palette
    Monochrome 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
    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 George Morland over the last twelve months — 4 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 78.7%
    2. 2 United States of America 16.0%
    3. 3 Singapore 4.0%
    4. 4 Iran 1.3%

    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 Morland

    1. 1 The Death of the Fox, 1794 8.9%
    2. 2 At An Easel 6.3%
    3. 3 Self-portrait 2.5%
    4. 4 A Party Angling 2.5%
    5. 5 Horses In A Stable 2.5%
    6. 6 Cottage Interior 2.5%
    7. 7 The Village Inn With Post Horses 2.5%
    8. 8 La Halte (the Public House Door) 2.5%
    9. 9 Paying The Ostler 2.5%
    10. 10 The Coming Storm, Isle Of Wight 2.5%
    11. 11 Landscape With Ruined Castle 2.5%
    12. 12 Pigs 2.5%
    13. 13 The Inside Of A Stable 2.5%
    14. 14 A Windy Day 1.3%
    15. 15 Before a Thunderstorm, 1791 1.3%
    16. 16 Landscape And A Cottage 1.3%
    17. 17 The White Horse 1.3%
    18. 18 A Farmer Paying The Ostler And Pot-boy Of An Inn 1.3%
    19. 19 The Public House Door 1.3%
    20. — Three Figures this painting 0.0%

    Together these works take 50.5% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 242 works by this artist, of which 58 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 and museum

    Artist

    George Morland

    Born in London, United Kingdom

    Early Life and Influences

    Born: London, United Kingdom (1763)

    Died: 1804

    George Morland was born on June 26, 1763, in London. His father, Henry Robert Morland, encouraged his artistic development from a young age.

    By the time George was ten years old, his name appeared as an honorary exhibitor of sketches at the Royal Academy.

    Early career and influences: Morland's early work was influenced by Francis Wheatley.

    He was introduced to Sir Joshua Reynolds, who allowed him to copy his pictures.

    Morland’s apprenticeship with his father ended in 1784, and he set up on his own.

    Artistic Style and Notable Works

    Style: Morland's best compositions focus on rustic scenes, farms, hunting, smugglers, gypsies, and rich, textured landscapes informed by Dutch Golden Age painting.

    Intended for Reproduction: Much of his work was intended for reproduction in prints, from which his publishers made a good deal more money than he did.

    Notable Works:

    The Farmyard: Showcases his skill in capturing rural scenes.

    Horse Devoured by a Lion: A painting by George Stubbs, found at the Tate Britain in London.

    Near Nîmes: A painting by Roger Eliot Fry, found on AllPaintingsStore.com.

    Prolific Output: Despite his troubles with debts and early death, Morland was prolific.

    Development and Artistic Journey

    Early Training: His father provided early training, including copying works by Dutch and Flemish masters.

    Influence of Reynolds: Studying copies of Sir Joshua Reynolds's paintings significantly impacted his style.

    Unique Style Emerges: After the 1790s, Morland developed a unique style characterized by rustic scenes and detailed landscapes.

    Lifestyle Impact: His excessive lifestyle (hard drinking) affected the quality of his later work.

    Legacy and Historical Significance

    Contribution to English Art: George Morland is considered a notable contributor to English art history.

    Widespread Recognition: His works can be found in various museums and collections, including Somerville College in Oxford.

    Influence on Printmaking: The fact that his work was intended for reproduction in prints highlights the importance of print culture during his time.

    Enduring Appeal: Morland's depictions of rural life continue to resonate with audiences today.

    Additional Information

    Spouse: Anne Ward (married 1786)

    Parents: Henry Robert Morland, and grandson of George Henry Morland

    Wikipedia Link: George Morland - Wikipedia

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Three Figures

    topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/george-morland-three-figures-9DH5HB-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Morland, George. Three Figures. n.d., https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-morland-three-figures-9DH5HB-en/
    APA
    Morland, George (n.d.). Three Figures [Painting]. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-morland-three-figures-9DH5HB-en/
    Chicago
    George Morland. Three Figures. n.d. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-morland-three-figures-9DH5HB-en/
    Harvard
    Morland, George (n.d.) Three Figures. Available at: https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/george-morland-three-figures-9DH5HB-en/

    Look closely

    Three Figures — George Morland

    Look closely

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

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 2 — do you agree?)
    4. Our catalogue files this work under: portraiture, historical figures, aged painting. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    5. Look back at INTERIEUR D'ETABLE, earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.

    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

    Is a high-resolution download of "Three Figures" available?

    To get a digital file of "Three Figures" by George Morland, order a high-resolution digital image download on its Digital Image page.

    Which artistic current is "Three Figures" by George Morland part of?

    "Three Figures" is a work of Baroque. The movement indicates the artistic tradition the work is part of.

    Is "Three Figures" more bright or more dark overall?

    "Three Figures" by George Morland is recorded as deep_shadow, with a dark luminance.