Tirzah Garwood-Ravilious:
Background to Toy Train, 1950
Framed (ref: 11030)
Oil on canvas, with tin plate toy

Tags: Tirzah Garwood-Ravilious oil children landscape transport trees

Provenance: The Artists Family; private collection

Literature: Hornet & Wild Rose, The Art of Tirzah Garwood, by Anne Ullmann, The Fleece Press, 2020

The diary of Henry Swanzy records the following on the 10th May, 1950: 'At home, she (Tirzah) is painting the Georgian doll's house with special care.' 

Anne Ullman writes that 'Nero, the tin-plate engine with blue and yellow livery and matching carriage, was mounted and placed in a deep frame; behind this is the painted backdrop which gives this picture its title, Background to Toy Train. These are the only two pieces of the train set to have survived. It is possible the picture framer may have mounted the train back to front as the pretty lettering Nero is invisible to the viewer. 

We are indebted to Anne Ullman for her assistance.