Mubin Orhon

Acquired directly from the artist by the family of the present owner circa 1955
Thence by descent

Condition: This work is in good condition. There is very minor restoration apparent under the UV light. Colours: The colours in the catalogue illustration are accurate.
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Untitled is the largest of the earliest oil paintings by Mubin Orhon to come to public auction.

Regarded as one of the most important Turkish artists of the twentieth century, Mubin was a major proponent of the abstract expressionist style in Turkey. Mubin's greatest influence was the Parisian style of Expressionism known as Tachism, championing spontaneity and intuitive expression he is renowned for his impulsive, dynamic brushwork.

This charming work is a rare glimpse into the development of Mubin's practice. Where in later periods the artist produced works with large sweeping brushstrokes of colour, (see lots 55, 56, 73), this painting is executed with great attention to detail. The paint is carefully applied, building up the surface to produce a work that is both tactile and balanced.

It is fascinating to chart the development of the artist from this considered application, into a more abstracted style. Especially when his brilliant appoach to colour-balance is maintained throughout his career, somehow Mubin coaxes a luminosity out of grey, poducing an exquisitely balanced canvas of pinks, mauves, navy and grey; eventually reaching the pinnacle of his experimentation with colour in the shades of a single hue (see lot 65).