Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/frederick-walker-575" aria-label="More by Frederick Walker" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Frederick Walker</a>
Old Gate
Bequeathed by Amy, Lady Tate 1920
adults
agriculture and fishing
agriculture, gardening & fishing
animals: mammals
architecture
boy
children
clothing and personal items
Crowcombe, Halsway Court
dog - non-specific
England
England, South West
England, Southern
farm labourer
features
gate
hill
landscape
man
objects
people
places
smock
Somerset
spade
stair / step
townscapes / man-made features
UK cities, towns and villages
UK counties
UK countries and regions
woman
work and occupations
<p>Walker shows the crumbling gate of Halsway Court at Crowcombe in Somerset, where he stayed in 1868-9. Using local people as models, he added figures to give the picture a narrative content. However, Walker deliberately let the narrative remain ambiguous, to encourage viewers to construct their own story.Walker firmly believed in painting directly from his subject, to create a detailed evocation of nature. In this picture, however, he deviated from his usual practice. It was made in his studio from a smaller study painted in the open air. Walker was unhappy with the original arrangement of the figures, and altered them for this version.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
The Old Gate
support: 1346 × 1683 mm
frame: 1685 × 2025 × 124 mm
Bequeathed by Amy, Lady Tate 1920
<p>Walker shows the crumbling gate of Halsway Court at Crowcombe in Somerset, where he stayed in 1868-9. Using local people as models, he added figures to give the picture a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/n/narrative" title="Glossary definition for 'Narrative'"><span>narrative</span></a> content. However, Walker deliberately let the narrative remain ambiguous, to encourage viewers to construct their own story.<br/>Walker firmly believed in <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> directly from his subject, to create a detailed evocation of nature. In this picture, however, he deviated from his usual practice. It was made in his studio from a smaller study painted in the open air. Walker was unhappy with the original arrangement of the figures, and altered them for this version.</p>
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2004-09-02T00:00:00
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adults agriculture and fishing agriculture, gardening & fishing animals: mammals architecture boy children clothing and personal items Crowcombe, Halsway Court dog - non-specific England England, Southern England, South West farm labourer features gate hill landscape man objects people places smock Somerset spade stair / step townscapes / man-made features UK cities, towns and villages UK counties UK countries and regions woman work and occupations