Peregrine Falcons
- Artist: Sir Cedric Morris, Bt
- Date: 1942
- Medium: Oil paint on canvas
- Dimensions: support: 636 × 712 × 25 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the “Peregrine Falcons” by Sir Cedric Morris, Bt, created in 1942. Morris was not just a painter of birds – he bred them too – and that close relationship shows in every stroke. He chose oil on canvas and, with a stiff brush, built up a thick, spiky impasto that makes the falcons seem almost three‑dimensional, as if the paint itself is alive.
The composition is deliberately split. On the left, shallow rocks and a cluster of four eggs set the stage, while on the right a deep, cool sky recedes into the distance. This shift pulls the eye across the canvas, bringing each bird forward. The warm plumage and talons contrast sharply with the cool background tones, heightening the sense of motion.
A small duck’s skull lies beside the eggs, a stark reminder of the predatory instinct that defines the falcons. The painting avoids exact ornithological detail; instead, Morris distills the essence of flight and mood, letting texture and color speak. His handwork, free of underdrawing, shows a process of painting from the top left corner to the bottom right, letting the image grow organically.
See it in person
Peregrine Falcons is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
