William Scott, R.A.

Martha Jackson Gallery, New York
Mr Steven Jacobsen, purchased from the above, 1972
Sale, Sotheby's, London, 6th December 1984, lot 593
 

London, Tate Gallery, William Scott: Paintings  Drawngs and Gouaches 1938-1971 19 April-29 May 1972, no.109, illustrated in black and white in catalogue, p.62
New York, Martha Jackson Gallery, William Scott, 2 January-3 February 1973

The canvas is unlined and appears to be providing a good sound support. The paint surface appears to be in beautiful original condition, stable throughout. A dark brown substance has left a scattering of tiny surface spots in the lower right hand quadrant - these should be removed by a professional clean which would benefit the whole paint surface greatly. Inspection under UV light does not reveal any later retouchings. Please note that the ochre colour is slightly more saturated in the original than it appears in the catalogue photograph.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This work is registered in the William Scott Archive as no. 201
Sarah Whitfield is currently preparing the Catalogue Raisonne of works in oil by William Scott.  The William Scott Foundation would like to hear from owners of any work by the artist so that these can be included in this comprehensive catalogue or in future projected catalogues.  Please write to Sarah Whitfield c/o Sotheby's, 20th Century British Art Department, 34-35 New Bond Street, London W1A 2AA.

Following the energetic and rhythmic nature of his series of Berlin Blues from the mid 1960s and the outburst of curvilinear shapes and forms that he developed for murals at Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry and the new Irish Television Centre, Dublin, Scott's series of work from the late 1960s and 70s took on a fresh and understated aesthetic. His new pictures marked a return to the still life subject matter that had been a major pre-occupation throughout his life and which had become fundamental to both the form and content of his work. 

The genesis for his life long treatment of the theme was a visit to an exhibition in Paris in the summer of 1946 entitled A Thousand Years of Still Life Painting which left him 'really overwhelmed by the fact that the subject had hardly changed for 1000 years, and yet each generation in turn expressed its own period and feelings and time within this terribly limited narrow range of the still life ' (Scott, quoted in Norbert Lynton, William Scott, London 2004, p.61). Despite the seemingly 'limited' subject, the exhibition clearly left him in no doubt as to the power of the genre and its capacity for artistic creativity.  By 1969, the year that marked his new series on the theme, he had developed the distinctive forms evident in the present work; the long handled frying pan, square bowl and round bottomed dish. The instantly recognisable forms clearly reference early works such as The Frying Pan (1946, Arts Council Collection, Hayward Gallery, London) whilst the minimalist handling also demonstrates the evolution of his work in an abstract direction since the 1940s.