.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Duncan MacMillan comments on Morrocco's self-portraits in his introduction to the Memorial Exhibition in Edinburgh: 'His self-image in his self-portraits constantly reassures us that he was conscious of the privilege of being a painter and of being able to share his delight with us. Never pompous or solemn, typically in one or two self-portraits ... he raises his eyebrows at himself with quizzical scepticism as though to query his presumption in being an artist at all ... [in others] he is only present as a hand and a half drawn face in a little boys's bedroom [see lot 41 and lot 43], a characteristically oblique approach from an artist who in one of his best known self-portraits [the present work], like Vermeer, sees himself from behind and paints only the back of his head' (Exhibition catalogue, Alberto Morrocco (1917-1998) Memorial Exhibition, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, 1999, unpaginated).
This painting documents Morrocco in his many guises, demonstrating his interests and pre-occupations: The bottom left panel shows the RSA committee sitting in front of their copy of a Titian nude: in the centre, Sir Robin Philipson, PRSA, with James Cumming on his left. Other panels show burning the candle at both ends; self-portrait as a clown and self-portrait as a child dressed in Christmas finery.
(see C. Young and V. Keller, Alberto Morrocco, Edinburgh, 1993, p. 73).
This painting documents Morrocco in his many guises, demonstrating his interests and pre-occupations: The bottom left panel shows the RSA committee sitting in front of their copy of a Titian nude: in the centre, Sir Robin Philipson, PRSA, with James Cumming on his left. Other panels show burning the candle at both ends; self-portrait as a clown and self-portrait as a child dressed in Christmas finery.
(see C. Young and V. Keller, Alberto Morrocco, Edinburgh, 1993, p. 73).