Near Cloud, May

Details

PETER LANYON (1918-1964)
Near Cloud, May
signed and dated 'Lanyon 63' (centre)
ink, charcoal, oil pastel and gouache on paper
9 1⁄2 x 13 1⁄2 in. (24.2 x 34.4 cm.)
Executed in 1963.

Provenance

Purchased at the 2009 exhibition by the present owner.

Exhibited

London, Gimpel Fils, Peter Lanyon, January - February 2009, catalogue not traced.

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.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Alice Murray Head of Evening Sale

amurray@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2423

Lot Essay

Peter Lanyon started gliding in 1959 and by the time he painted Near Cloud, May in 1963, he was frequently flying alone over the land and seascapes of West Cornwall. In preceding years Lanyon had pioneered a gestural and empathetic abstraction rooted in the landscape surrounding his native St Ives. Embarking on a new way of experiencing his environment, gliding had an immediate and transformative effect on his painting and heralded a final period of remarkable originality and vitality. Near Cloud, May captures a sensation of flight with wonderful swiftness and clarity as ink, gouache, charcoal and oil pastel are applied sparingly but with great force.

We are very grateful to Toby Treves for his assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.

More from Modern British and Irish Art Day Sale

View All