Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Gunning King died in 1940; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2010.
In context
Blue Pool — Gunning King
The original measures 46 × 56 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the year. Row below: the artist's age in that year.
Painted when the artist was 78. The artist lived to 81. 43 of the 45 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of Gunning King (1859–1940) ▲ this work, 1937
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/gunning-king-blue-pool-AQUGKB-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Gray #6a6a58
Catalogued palette
The ten leading countries
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.
Together these works take 46.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 131 works by this artist, of which 69 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 16 of them, with 1.9% of that attention.
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
Gunning King (1859–1940) remains a profound voice in the history of British landscape painting, a master who found extraordinary depth within the quietude of the rural English scene. His work does not merely depict land; it breathes with the atmosphere of a bygone era, capturing the subtle, fleeting transitions of light and shadow that define the Dorset and Sussex countryside. Through a palette of muted greens, soft blues, and earthy browns, King invited his viewers into a realm of serene contemplation, where the rustle of leaves and the stillness of a meadow could be felt through the very texture of the oil on canvas.
The artist’s journey was one of beautiful contradiction. Born in the coastal beauty of Kimmeriente Bay, King received his formal training at the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art in London. There, he studied under the watchful eye of Frederic Leighton, a titan of the Pre-Raphaelite tradition known for meticulous detail and idealized forms. While this academic foundation provided him with a rigorous understanding of composition, King’s spirit ultimately drifted toward the burgeoning influence of the Impressionist movement. Rather than pursuing the sharp, photographic precision favored by his mentors, he embraced the revolutionary principles of artists like Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. He sought to capture the ephemeral—the way a sudden sunbeam pierces through a cloud or how mist clings to a distant forest—prioritizing the emotional resonance of light over the rigid boundaries of form.
King’s technical mastery lies in his ability to use loose, rapid brushstrokes to convey movement and vitality. His technique rejected the polished, glass-like surfaces of traditional academic painting in favor of a more tactile, energetic application of paint. This approach allowed him to translate the changing conditions of the English landscape with remarkable sensitivity, making works such as 'Kimmeridge, Dorset' or 'Autumnal Trees and Farm Buildings' feel alive with the pulse of nature. His significance extends beyond mere representation; he was a pioneer who helped bridge the gap between the structured traditions of British art and the atmospheric freedom of Continental Impressionism. Even today, his paintings serve as a poignant reminder of the beauty found in the ordinary, leaving behind a legacy of quiet majesty that continues to enchant the modern eye.
topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/gunning-king-blue-pool-AQUGKB-en/
Look closely
Blue Pool — Gunning King
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
Gunning King made "Blue Pool" at the age of 78. The artist was born in 1859 and the work is dated 1937.
"Blue Pool" is brilliant overall, and its luminance is gentle luminance.
The color composition of "Blue Pool" by Gunning King combines a bold contrast with a balanced harmony harmony.
To preview a reproduction of "Blue Pool" by Gunning King, open the artwork's Preview page.
"Blue Pool" dates from 1937. The date places the work within Gunning King's career and its era.
"Blue Pool" was created by Gunning King. The information on this page describes Gunning King's original work.
Works similar to "Blue Pool" are listed on the artwork's Similars page.