Cabinet des Merveilles; and Threatening Beatle

Details

Conroy Maddox (1912-2005)
Cabinet des Merveilles; and Threatening Beatle
the first signed and dated 'Conroy Maddox/'41' (lower right), signed again, inscribed and dated again 'Cabinet des Merveilles/Conroy Maddox 1941' (on the reverse); the second signed and dated 'Conroy Maddox/'48' (lower right) and inscribed 'Threatening Beatle' (on the reverse)
pencil, gouache and ink, unframed; and felt-tip and gouache on board, unframed
11½ x 16½ in. (29.2 x 41.9 cm.); and 10½ x 8¼ in. (26.7 x 21 cm.)
two in the lot (2)

Provenance

Cabinet des Merveilles: Anonymous sale; Phillips, London, 25 September 2001, lot 159.
Threatening beetle: Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.

Exhibited

London, Holsworthy Gallery, Conroy Maddox, The Surrealist Eye, 10 - 27 September 1980, no. 36.

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.

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Lot Essay

The second part of this lot. This work employs 'écrémage', a semi-automatic technique that Maddox had invented in 1939 at the age of 28. Maddox explained the technique: 'In a tray one would put water and then add dabs of oil paint. The paper would then be skimmed across to produce an extraordinary effect.' This work has a background of écrémage onto which a deliberate form is outlined.
This work will be included in the Catalogue Raisonné of Conroy Maddox by Silvano Levy.

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