SIR PETER SCOTT | Swans in Flight
Oil on Canvas
72.5 x 91.5 cms / 28½ x 36 inches
Signed (lower right)
Sir Peter Scott’s Swans in Flight captures the grace of wildfowl in motion against a tranquil sunset sky. Painted with precision and atmosphere, the work reflects Scott’s dual role as both artist and conservationist, uniting scientific observation with painterly sensitivity. The sweeping composition evokes the majesty of migration, affirming Scott’s enduring contribution to British wildlife art and his mission to inspire protection of natural habitats through beauty and truth.
Sir Peter Markham Scott (1909–1989) was a British artist, naturalist, and conservationist whose career united the worlds of fine art and environmental science. The only child of Antarctic explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott and sculptor Kathleen Scott, he was educated at Oundle School and Trinity College, Cambridge, before studying art at the Chelsea Polytechnic under Paul Nash.
Scott first gained recognition as a painter of wildfowl, celebrated for his precise draughtsmanship and sensitivity to movement and light. His paintings, frequently exhibited and widely reproduced, helped to popularise birdwatching and generated a new public enthusiasm for the natural world. Alongside his artistic career, Scott was a distinguished sportsman: he won a bronze medal in sailing at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and later served with distinction in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, commanding motor gunboats and receiving the Distinguished Service Cross.
In 1946 he founded the Severn Wildfowl Trust at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire (now the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust), establishing a pioneering centre for conservation, research and public education. His vision extended internationally when in 1961 he co-founded the World Wildlife Fund, designing its iconic panda logo, and was instrumental in saving endangered species such as the Hawaiian goose. Through his many books and long-running BBC television programmes, Scott became a leading public voice for conservation.
Knighted in 1973 and appointed Companion of Honour in 1987, Sir Peter Scott left an indelible mark as both an artist and advocate. His work shaped modern conservation and inspired new generations to protect wildlife and wild places.
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