Varnished watercolour over pencil, 13 by 9 1/4 ins (33 by 23.5 cm)

Morris was a passionate horticulturalist and displays of flowers and shrubs featured as a central part in many of his highly regarded and sought after oil paintings. Watercolours by Morris, however, are far rarer and were possibly used as occasional studies for his larger compositions. Most of these works date from the time when Morris headed his own art school, The East Anglian School of Painting and drawing in Dedham. A number of highly important and influential artists studied here, including Lucian Freud and Maggie Hambling.