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Lot Essay
The inspiration for this painting was Franz Kafka's unfinished novel Das Schloss (The Castle), written in 1926. The narrative concerns the futile struggle of the individual against invincible social and bureaucratic systems, and presents a surreal and sinister world. Vaughan, a fluent German speaker, read Kafka's novels in their original language and produced several paintings based on them including the large oil painting entitled The Trial (1949/50, repainted 1959). In the present work, the central character, (identified in the novel as 'K'), undergoes a night-time trial. His nakedness communicates something of his helplessness and his vulnerability and the looming shadow of the lamp at the right adds to the disquieting atmosphere. Vaughan painted several interior scenes between 1948-51, each lit by either candle or lamplight, and invariably occupied by one or two mysterious or threatening figures.
When Vaughan executed this gouache he was becoming progressively interested in formal pictorial considerations. For example, he is remarkably economical with his palette and is able to achieve a particularly emotional impact by employing only blue, yellow, black and white. Moreover figures and objects are severely flattened and distilled for greater impact:
'Tension developed between the importance of Vaughan's subject matter and the value of his paint as an expressive medium in its own right. This was to become one of his central preoccupations as a painter. He increasingly played off observational drawing and figuration against a systematic organisation of the picture plane and a new, rigorous management of the composition. In short, abstract and formal pictorial elements began to take on new and significant functions in his gouache painting' (P. Vann and G. Hastings, Keith Vaughan, Farnham, 2012, p. 165).
We are very grateful to Gerard Hastings, co-author of the new monograph: Keith Vaughan, published by Lund Humphries, October 2012, for preparing the catalogue entries for lots 110 and 253.
When Vaughan executed this gouache he was becoming progressively interested in formal pictorial considerations. For example, he is remarkably economical with his palette and is able to achieve a particularly emotional impact by employing only blue, yellow, black and white. Moreover figures and objects are severely flattened and distilled for greater impact:
'Tension developed between the importance of Vaughan's subject matter and the value of his paint as an expressive medium in its own right. This was to become one of his central preoccupations as a painter. He increasingly played off observational drawing and figuration against a systematic organisation of the picture plane and a new, rigorous management of the composition. In short, abstract and formal pictorial elements began to take on new and significant functions in his gouache painting' (P. Vann and G. Hastings, Keith Vaughan, Farnham, 2012, p. 165).
We are very grateful to Gerard Hastings, co-author of the new monograph: Keith Vaughan, published by Lund Humphries, October 2012, for preparing the catalogue entries for lots 110 and 253.