Thorn Tree

Details

Graham Sutherland, O.M. (1903-1982)
Thorn Tree
signed and dated 'Sutherland 1945' (lower left) and signed with initials 'G.S.' (upper left)
ink and watercolour
9 x 6¼ in. (23 x 16 cm.)

Provenance

with Marlborough Fine Art, London.
Anonymous sale; Bonhams, London, 18 June 1987, lot 111.
with Austin Desmond & Phipps, London.

Literature

A. Stuart, Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fair Spring Catalogue, London, p. 21, illustrated p. 20.

Exhibited

Chichester, Festival Exhibition, Tudor Room of the Bishop's Palace, Farm, Field and Fantasy: Visions of the English Countryside from the 18th Century to the Present Day, July 1989, no. 30.
Chichester, Pallant House Gallery, Flower of Peace: British Art and Design in 1945, June - August 1995, not numbered.
London, Graham Sutherland, Olympia Loan Exhibition, February - March 2003, no. GS 184.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

In 1946, Sutherland wrote, 'About my thorn pictures; I can only give a clue, since the process of becoming involved with one's subject is always mysterious and not easy to explain ... I had been thinking of the Crucifixion (as you know I hope to attempt this subject for St Matthew's, Northampton) my mind became preoccupied with the idea of thorns (the crown of thorns) and wounds made by thorns. Then on going into the country I began to notice thorn trees and bushes. Especially against the sky, the thorns on the branches established a limit of aerial space. They were like dividers pricking out points in space in all directions, encompassing the air, as it were solid and tangible. I'd never noticed this before: but all kinds of ideas for pictures started to come into my mind. Apart from the large "Thorn Trees" I had several ideas for "Thorn Heads". A sort of 'pricking' and demarcation of a hollow headshaped space enclosed by the points. All the paintings I have done started off with drawings and sketches direct from nature' (see Exhibition catalogue, Graham Sutherland, New York, Bucholz Gallery, March 1946).

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