The Sower of the Systems

Adopted by Ron & Jane Cork

Sower of the Systems; a semi-abstract allegorical (symbolist) subject showing the universal creator (God) within cosmos., This finished oil study was preparatory to the large version of the subject exhibited in 1903. Both show a figure, cloaked in blue, rushing into deep space, casting golden yellow and orange swirls of light into the darkness. The loose free handling creates dramatic passages of slashing brushwork and broken colour. The vibrant blue-greens and oranges collide with each other in this energised composition. In many ways The Sower of the Systems spoke most directly to the new twentieth century. Indeed, modernists often claim it for its proto-abstract qualities. But there is a deeper meaning to this work. Watts considered that ‘There is only one great mystery – the Creator.’ What the painting shows is an act of creation, specifically of the stars, constellations and galaxies of the firmament.

The artist’s fascination with star-gazing dated back to his acquaintance with astronomers such as Sir John Herschel. Watts had looked through telescopes observing planets and the constellations. He believed scientists were ‘dwelling … in a kingdom of infinite wonder – larger than that of the poet or artist’. It is this sense of the infinity beyond the known world that lies at the heart of The Sower of the Systems.

Text: Barbara Bryant
Gallery Reference: Art Gallery of Ontario