This is the fourth year that we have combined our resources to make a Modern British
survey exhibition, a selection of paintings and sculpture that span nearly a century. As always, we have uncovered some rare and unusual works, none more so than the
exceptional 1919 painting of a ruined village in Northern France, captured by the war artist Eric Kennington.
We seem to be leaning somewhat towards the strong, post-war abstract and painterly work of the group of artists such as Gear, Heath, Lanyon and early Tilson, who were at the height of their powers in the 1950s and early 60s. Certainly pictures by these artists were well received in last year's exhibition. Note especially the paintings by Merlyn Evans and William Gear, both de-accessed by the Fine Art Museum in Toledo, Ohio, whose far-sighted Director travelled to London in the 1950s and built a remarkable collection of the best British art of the time.
Following last year's successful Graham Sutherland exhibition, Prunella Clough was chosen for this year's Fine Art & Antiques Fair at Olympia in March. We are fortunate to have a magnificent painting by her that we have used for the front cover.
Sculpture is also well represented with early work by Meadows, Butler and Chadwick and later works by Caro, Hepworth and Mitchell. Note that Berkeley Square Gallery will be
holding a major Chadwick retrospective this autumn. We also have a group of Henry Moore drawings of reclining figures, spanning 60 years of his working life, from an early figure drawing of 1923 to a late study of 1983.
For the first time we include works by L S Lowry, two important paintings that have been in a private collection since they were acquired in 1957 and 1963 respectively. Again, we have an excellent Vaughan of 1960 and a powerful 1939 oil by Sutherland. We continue to include Craigie Aitchison and this year two later pictures, a 1982 portrait of Cylia Lyttleton and a small crucifixion picture of the same year.
Do please contact either gallery if you have questions. We do have other works available by many of these artists and can of course provide further detailed background information on all the pictures and sculptures in this catalogue.
We hope you enjoy this catalogue and we look forward to welcoming you to both galleries to view the exhibition.
Peter Osborne / Gordon Samuel
March 2004
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