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PAUL MOUNT (1922-2009) Paul Mount, trained first in his native Devon then at the Royal College of Art, London. A seven-year Nigerian hiatus saw him work with architects and design concrete walls whose relief surfaces were deft architectural embellishments informed by his pictorial and graphic background. An interest in architecture in general, particularly Romanesque churches in France, informed the precise rectilinear and curvilinear structures of open stainless steel compositions like Etoile, 1972. More familiar features of his large stainless steel oeuvre, however, were the enclosed planes loosely based on boat or sail shapes, inspired by a childhood passion for Windjammer ships. His iconic works Spirit of Bristol, 1968, and Sky Sails, 1970, situated in Bristol, reflect the city's maritime past. Unlike the final version of Spirit of Bristol at Stokes Croft, the multi-directional curved elements of Spirit of Bristol (maquette) revolve around an open centre. The active use of space and reflected light on his polished stainless steel surfaces, instil an air of dynamic energy, the romantic overtones of which temper the impact of hard materials, industrial materials and a language of abstract, geometric form. The theme of dance, in works such as Dancing Couple, sees Mount re-engage with the subject of the human figure and, typically, the artist fashions stream-lined, partly open configurations of duets entangled in rapturous music - inspired postural movements. His love of music alongside that of architecture contributes to the inherent dynamism of Mount's work. P.D.

Paul Mount (1922-2009)

Spirit of Bristol (maquette)

Details

Paul Mount (1922-2009)
Spirit of Bristol (maquette)
stainless steel
34 in. (86.3 cm.) wide
Conceived circa 1968.

Provenance

Gifted by the artist to Fergus Gleave circa 1968 and by descent.

Special notice

Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's Resale Right Regulations 2006 apply to this lot, the buyer agrees to pay us an amount equal to the resale royalty provided for in those Regulations, and we undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent.

Lot Essay

The present work was one of a maximum of three maquettes commissioned by Fergus Gleave when he was Managing Director of Copthall Holdings, the developers of the Sun Life building which is situated at the top of Colston Avenue, Bristol. A different design was chosen for the final six metre high sculpture that still stands in Bristol today.

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