This
watercolour was acquired by the gallery in 1932. It is, I think, one of the
painter’s most remarkable paintings, and shows his talent at it’s best.
He was a great watercolourist, and this symbolist painting really seems to
have an extra dimension, showing his talent at it’s best, with the use of
the medium adding an extra subtlety and spirituality to his work. The moving
force behind the work was, perhaps, the idealistic artist’s support of the
rights of women, especially the suffragette movement of the time. It was a
profoundly moving experience to see ‘The Vow. If nothing else had done so,
this would have made the visit to the Alfred East Gallery worthwhile.
