About this artwork

The landscape depicted in this painting is that of Boar’s Hill near Oxford. Nash spent much time in the area during his later years, staying at Sandlands, the house of his friend Hilda Harrison. The tree-topped hills of Wittenham Clumps can be seen in the background of the painting. A reminder of the landscape in ancient times, Wittenham Clumps are two Iron Age hill forts. They had great personal significance for Nash as he had visited the area throughout his life, and they also feature in another painting owned by the Gallery, ‘Landscape of the Vernal Equinox (III)’. Nash painted several works featuring different types of fungus against a landscape backdrop. In this painting, the shape of the fungus echoes that of the trees on top of the hills.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Paul Nash (1889 - 1946) English
  • title:
    Landscape of the Brown Fungus
  • date created:
    1943
  • materials:
    Oil on canvas
  • measurements:
    50.80 x 76.40 cm; Framed: 65.70 x 91.20 x 8.70 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Bequeathed by Mr H.J. Paterson 1988
  • accession number:
    GMA 3425
  • gallery:
  • subject:
  • artwork photographed by:
    Antonia Reeve
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Paul Nash

Paul Nash