The Garden Of Eden, 1901…
(Inspired by Hugh Goldwin Rivière’s painting…)
Edwardian London, dank and dull, lies dismal after rain,
As a horse-drawn cab for custom awaits, almost misted
And inconspicuous upon a busy Kensington street,
Adjoining the Gardens, where two avid lovers stroll.
Surreptitiously, their hands clutch like they will never let go,
His demeanour is eager, his admiration for her clear,
Whilst her face is alight with esteem and a thrill sincere.
And unchaperoned they saunter, oblivious of propriety and disdain…
Edwardian London, thirteen years on, during the strain
Of World War One, has the gentleman enlisted
As an officer? Was he posted to France to follow the war’s drum’s beat?
Had he been killed in action, or had shellshock taken its toll?
Did she take daily walks through the park to ponder the woe
Of waiting for letters written from the Front? And did she feel fear?
Would she ever again stroll with her husband, her lover held so dear,
In their Garden Of Eden, holding hands in the rain?
Pete Ray…
26th February 2026…
I was really taken by this painting and although the year was 1901, I wondered hypothetically whether the fellow would later have been involved in WW1 and how his lady-friend might have been affected…
In truth, the artist’s sister-in-law, Beatrice Langdon-Davies was the model for the woman in the painting and her real life husband-to-be, Percy Silley, an architect, was the chap.
Although engaged, a chaperone was indeed used at the scene whilst the picture was being prepared in the park.
The couple married soon after the painting had been completed…
The thoughts of The Sand Martin...
‘A walk in the park at the turn of the last century strongly evokes thoughts of a bygone age with Victorian/Edwardian apparel. Given the time in history the couple here display an unusual degree of affection in a public place.
The figures dominate the picture with the gentleman being placed almost mid-centre as the shorter figure of the lady looks up into his face. One wonders about the relationship. It could be romantic or familial as she grasps his hand and looks pleased. His face is turned away and towards his companion, so no hint of his emotion is visible but he does have an ungloved hand held between her gloved hands indicating a close relationship of some kind. One can only wonder and conjecture.
All hats, coats and footwear are painted in grey and black tones and although difficult to achieve, we see every detail very clearly and even the dark umbrella is clearly defined.
The face of the young lady is beautiful and exquisitely painted such that it is the immediate focus of the picture. Her face appears almost illuminated. Sensitive pale skin tones achieve remarkable detail, even to the veins on the back of the gentleman’s one hand and his thumbnail on the other.
The sweeping curve of the footpath and the stance of the gentleman add a dynamic aspect to the painting as they are most obviously walking. Although the rain has stopped, the impressionistic use of misty yellow and blue-grey shades in the picture portray wet weather wonderfully.
The couple are subtly reflected in the wet path. The footpath, railings, trees and seat nearby are quite ethereal.
The dark trunk of an adjacent mature tree reflects into the wet path as the couple walk towards it. Is this a metaphor for what lies ahead? Again one can only conjecture and hope that there will be many more happy moments in life for these young people, so charmingly captured in long gone times…’
