An Anxious Moment
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| An Anxious Moment | |
|---|---|
_-_An_Anxious_Moment_-_THC0062_-_Royal_Holloway,_University_of_London.jpg) | |
| Artist | Briton Riviere |
| Year | 1878 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, genre painting |
| Dimensions | 66 cm × 101.5 cm (26 in × 40.0 in) |
| Location | Royal Holloway, Surrey |
An Anxious Moment is a 1878 oil painting by the British artist Briton Riviere.[1][2] It features a gaggle of geese in rural England, the tension rising as they halt for an anxious moment when they encounter an unexpected object blocking their path, only to realise it is just a discarded hat. The image was a popular one and was referenced in parodies several times over the coming years. John Ruskin praised it in one of his lectures, comparing it favourably with Edwin Landseer's attempt to depict birds.[3] It was displayed at the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1878 held at Burlington House in London. It was acquired by the philanthropist Thomas Holloway, who donated it to Royal Holloway in 1883.[4]
