Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 31 works by Tristram Hillier in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Tristram Hillier left, the most famous is The Green Bottle (1950). Close behind it come La confiserie (1931) and L (1939). Our catalog holds 31 works by Tristram Hillier; the gallery has kept the 31 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
In this 1950 oil on canvas, a green glass bottle occupies the center of a square composition. The bottle is capped with a brown cork and sits upon a wooden surface. To the left of the vessel, a white cloth lies in crumpled folds over a piece of paper or a magazine, where the words "THE" and "N EDITION" are visible. On the right side of the bottle, two apples…
In the evocative landscape of Tristram Paul Hillier’s "Trott's Lane," we are invited to step into a moment of profound stillness captured in 1944. This mid-20th-century masterpiece serves as a window into a tranquil rural world, where a winding dirt road acts as a silent guide, drawing the viewer’s gaze through a verdant expanse toward an unseen horizon. The composition is masterfully anchored by a rustic fence and a solitary…
Marine1934 · Pallant House Gallery
12
Fishing Craft at Étretat1939 · National Gallery of Canada
13
Careening1939 · Art Gallery of New South Wales
14
The Gate1943
15
The War in Somerset1943
16
Le Havre de Grâce1939
17
Variation on the Form of an Anchor1939
18
Derelict Lead Mine1940 · Ferens Art Gallery
19
Cutlers Green1944
20
Harness1944
21
Quantoxhead1946
22
The Slipway at Peniche, Portugal1948
23
Galway Harbour, Ireland1947 · Ferens Art Gallery
24
The Breakwater at Dieppe, France1948 · County Hall
25
Flooded Meadow1949
26
Haymaking
27
Landscape with BuildingsThe Ingram Collection of Modern British And Contemporary Art
28
Ouguela, PortugalAlfred East Art Gallery
29
A RoseThe Ashmolean Museum of Art And Archaeology
30
Viseu, Portugal1947 · Wolverhampton Art Gallery
31
Fishing Boats1947
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Tristram Hillier | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 The Ashmolean Museum of Art And Archaeology |
Oxford | 2 | Trott's Lane, A Rose |
 National Gallery of Canada |
Ottawa | 2 | The Road Accident, Fishing Craft at Étretat |
 Pallant House Gallery |
Chichester | 2 | La truite aux pommes vapeur, Marine |
 Ferens Art Gallery |
Hull | 2 | Derelict Lead Mine, Galway Harbour, Ireland |
 Art Gallery of Hamilton |
Hamilton | 1 | L |
 Art Gallery of New South Wales |
Sydney | 1 | Careening |
 County Hall |
Leicester | 1 | The Breakwater at Dieppe, France |
 The Ingram Collection of Modern British And Contemporary Art |
London | 1 | Landscape with Buildings |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
In this 1950 oil on canvas, a green glass bottle occupies the center of a square composition. The bottle is capped with a brown cork and sits upon a wooden surface. To the left of the vessel, a white cloth lies in crumpled folds over a piece of paper or a magazine, where the words "THE" and "N EDITION" are visible. On the right side of the bottle, two apples…
The Green Bottle (1950). La confiserie (1931) and L (1939) come next.
45 years old: The Green Bottle dates from 1950, and Tristram Hillier was born in 1905.
The Green Bottle, La confiserie, L, Chapel of the Misericordia, Trott's Lane, Composition 1933 (Interior), Pylons, The Road Accident, La Route des Alpes and La truite aux pommes vapeur. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 31 works by Tristram Hillier, dated from 1931 to 1950.
Mostly in The Ashmolean Museum of Art And Archaeology (Oxford), National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa) and Pallant House Gallery (Chichester). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1940s: 14 of the 31 works on this page were made then, Chapel of the Misericordia among them.
On this page, the earliest is La confiserie (1931) and the latest The Green Bottle (1950).
Oil On Canvas, for 2 of the 31 works on this page.
Surrealism, judging by the originals on this page.
Trott's Lane and A Rose: the The Ashmolean Museum of Art And Archaeology, Oxford holds 2 of the works on this page.
Tristram Paul Hillier was an English surrealist painter whose life and vision were shaped by a unique tapestry of international influences. Born in Beijing, China, he was the youngest child of a banker and diplomat, a background that provided him with a global perspective from his earliest years. Though his roots reached back to China, his journey eventually led him through the heart of Europe's artistic centers. His formative years were marked by deep personal connections, including the profound influence of a Japanese Amah who remained a significant figure in his life long after his move to Europe. After receiving an education at Downside School and studying at Christ's College, Cambridge, Hillier sought the true essence of modern art in Paris. It was there, amidst the vibrant energy of the French capital, that he immersed himself in the study of masters like André Lhote and encountered the burgeoning Surrealist movement, finding inspiration in the dreamlike works of Giorgio de Chirico and Max Ernst.
The artistry of Tristram Paul Hillier is defined by a masterful ability to blend the tangible with the ethereal. As a member of the Unit One group led by Paul Nash, he contributed to a pivotal moment in British modernism, bringing a distinct surrealist sensibility to his canvases. His work often navigates the delicate boundary between realism and the subconscious, capturing scenes that feel simultaneously grounded in reality and suspended in a dream. Whether depicting the architectural charm of Viseu, Portugal or the quiet, sun-drenched shores of a Portuguese harbor, Hillier utilized light and color to create profound depth. His paintings, such as The Slipway at Peniche, Portugal, demonstrate a captivating fusion of realism and impressionism, where rustic details and historical textures are rendered with an exquisite attention to detail that draws the viewer into a serene, yet slightly uncanny, world.
His technical prowess allowed him to manipulate atmosphere to evoke specific emotional responses:
Throughout his career, Hillier remained a steadfast practitioner of surrealism, even as his travels took him across France and Spain before he eventually settled in Somerset, England. His dedication to his craft earned him significant professional accolades, including being elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1957 and later becoming a Royal Academician. Beyond the canvas, his literary contributions, such as his autobiography Leda and the Goose, offer a glimpse into the introspective mind behind the surrealist imagery. His works continue to reside in esteemed institutions like the Wolverhampton Art Gallery and the Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, serving as enduring testaments to a painter who could capture the quiet, profound essence of a moment caught between the waking world and the realm of dreams.
