White Church in a Landscape
White Church in a Landscape (1977) portrays a scene from behind a stone wall. Despite the depth of field implied by the wall at the forefront and the mountains in the background, perspective is flattened. This may be due to the simplified shapes and unusual textures that combine to make this scene. The flat picture-plane of this artwork suggests the inspiration of Henri Matisse on Fedden, whom she paid homage to in several artwork titles. Unrestrained by mathematical linear perspective, the scene appears imaginary and speaks to Fedden’s way of working: ‘I don’t necessarily paint things as they are: I paint them as I want them to be.’ (1995) Meanwhile, the loose brushstrokes are characteristic of an earlier stage in her career — one which she sought to replicate in old age, fighting against the tendency to make objects clearly defined.
