A Sybilline Courtyard
- Artist: Ivon Hitchens
- Date: 1974
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the “A Sybilline Courtyard” by Ivon Hitchens. Painted in 1974, this oil on canvas captures a quiet, almost mystical corner of a city square. The artist uses a muted palette of greys, soft blues and ochres to suggest early evening light, while small bursts of warm yellow hint at the glow from streetlamps. The composition is tight, with a narrow doorway framing a solitary figure—a woman in a flowing dress—looking toward an unseen courtyard. Hitchens’ brushwork is deft, blending smooth washes for the background with more textured strokes on the figure’s garment, giving a sense of movement within a static setting. The overall mood feels contemplative, inviting viewers to imagine the stories whispered within that courtyard. It’s a piece that balances realism with a touch of the surreal, characteristic of Hitchens’ exploration of urban anonymity and quiet intimacy.
See it in person
A Sybilline Courtyard hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
