Ihsan Cemal Karaburcak

Private Collection, Sweden (acquired circa 1963)
Private Collection, Sweden

Brussels, Contemporary Turkish Art Exhibition, 1963

Condition: This work is in good condition. There are very light scratches and two minor pin spots at the top corners where the work was once hung. There is no restoration visible under the ultraviolet light. Colour: The catalogue illustration is very accurate.
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Ihsan Cemal Karaburcak's The Symphony of the Sails portrays a rare composition unlike any in the artist's oeuvre. This beautiful painting which was exhibited in Brussels in 1963 and stayed in the European collections for almost fifty years, provides a glimpse into the imagination of this important Turkish artist. The angular, abstract, Gothic forms depicted in vibrant yellows, oranges, blues and greens are in actual fact sailing boats floating on the sea. The sense of depth on this flattened aerial view is achieved by varying sizes of the boats giving a sense of distance. The black outlines of their masts recall musical notes, rendering the work its title, a Symphony of the Sails.