The collection of Wellingtonia continued at Epsom College, one of the various large public schools dotted around Surrey and the one which is nearest to Epsom. In passing we noticed other Wellingtonia in the same general area and we thought that schools of this sort, perhaps built during the height of the fashion for these trees, would make good hunting grounds. We a start having been made with the non-scoring tree at the relatively humble Ewell Castle School, noticed, for example, at reference 2.
 |
| General view |
Note the aura produced by the camera around the top of the tree, the sun being behind the tree. I associate to the aura around the headland in the Holman Hunt picture included below.
 |
| Our English Coasts |
I remember reading that the French Impressionists were very impressed by Hunt's treatment of this sort of thing. So perhaps the aura was real, if not a clear-cut as suggested by Microsoft.
 |
| Getting closer |
 |
| Up close and personal |
 |
| Zoomed |
I was a bit concerned that the sprigs were a bit short, but on inspection of this enlarged bit of snap, I think we meet the standard set at reference 4, so scored. Note also what I take to be male cones at the end of sprigs. The things which puff out pollen (or something) in the spring to get the much larger female cones going later in the year. Or perhaps the year after that; a vegetable version of the delayed implantation of some mammals.
Reference 3: Our English Coasts, 1852 (‘Strayed Sheep’) - W. Holman Hunt - 1852. With thanks to the Tate Gallery for the snap above. Careful readers will have seen odd bits of it before.
Reference 4: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/07/identification-of-wellingtonia-closed.html.
Group search key: wgc.
No comments:
Post a Comment