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Lot Essay
‘The great bronze hares which Barry Flanagan has been producing since the 1980s are one of the most personal and recognisable artistic endeavours of the second half of this century’ (E. Juncosa, exhibition catalogue, Barry Flanagan, London, Waddington Galleries, 1994, p. 5).
The present work exemplifies Flanagan’s characteristic blend of whimsy and technical prowess. With the millennium drawing to a close, Flanagan created Handstand in Aid of Millennial Blessings, whose title is itself evocative. The term ‘handstand’ referring to a physical accomplishment that involves strength and balance, while ‘in Aid of Millennial Blessings’ implies a commemorative or celebratory purpose. Together suggesting that the hare’s acrobatic gestures are a symbolic offering, signalling hope and renewal at the dawn of a new millennium.
Flanagan’s work is imbued with symbolic meaning and the present work is no exception. ‘Three crosses on the flower pot beneath the acrobatic hare are a talisman to appease the ferocities of pestilence, fire and flood’ (C. Preston, Barry Flanagan, London, 2017, p. 272). The crosses and their associations are derived from Flanagan’s time in the city of Amsterdam, where the artist spent significant periods of time during the late 1990s. Historically, the crosses, which are a prominent element of Amsterdam’s coat of arms and flag, are believed to originate from the coat of arms of the Persijn family, who held lordship over the area in the 13th Century. The black stripe on the shield symbolises the Amstel River, with the red fields flanking it. Popular folklore suggests that the three crosses represent the city’s resilience against fire, floods, and the Black Death.
The present work exemplifies Flanagan’s characteristic blend of whimsy and technical prowess. With the millennium drawing to a close, Flanagan created Handstand in Aid of Millennial Blessings, whose title is itself evocative. The term ‘handstand’ referring to a physical accomplishment that involves strength and balance, while ‘in Aid of Millennial Blessings’ implies a commemorative or celebratory purpose. Together suggesting that the hare’s acrobatic gestures are a symbolic offering, signalling hope and renewal at the dawn of a new millennium.
Flanagan’s work is imbued with symbolic meaning and the present work is no exception. ‘Three crosses on the flower pot beneath the acrobatic hare are a talisman to appease the ferocities of pestilence, fire and flood’ (C. Preston, Barry Flanagan, London, 2017, p. 272). The crosses and their associations are derived from Flanagan’s time in the city of Amsterdam, where the artist spent significant periods of time during the late 1990s. Historically, the crosses, which are a prominent element of Amsterdam’s coat of arms and flag, are believed to originate from the coat of arms of the Persijn family, who held lordship over the area in the 13th Century. The black stripe on the shield symbolises the Amstel River, with the red fields flanking it. Popular folklore suggests that the three crosses represent the city’s resilience against fire, floods, and the Black Death.