Frederick Edward McWilliam, R.A.

Alan Wray, Belfast, where purchased by the present owner

London, Battersea Park, 1966 (another cast);
Arts Council Ireland,  F. E. McWilliam, 1981, no.71, (another cast); 
London, Tate Gallery, F. E. McWilliam, 1989, no.49, lent by the artist (another cast);
Banbridge, F. E. McWilliam Gallery, with tour to Highlanes Art Gallery, Drogheda, F. E. McWilliam at Banbridge, 2008-2009

New York Herald Tribune, 7 June 1966

STRUCTURE Dirt has gathered in some of the crevices and the surface is slightly discoloured around the bow area; also a few light surface stains across the work, otherwise it appears in good overall condition.
"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."

May Day is one of the most striking works of McWilliam's Bean sculptures, and it may be the most successful symbolization of the artist's goals for the group. Between 1965 and 1966, McWilliam produced a number of large sculptures that celebrate sexuality through the exploration of themes such as the dynamic between the masculine and the feminine and between nature and culture. The central motif of the "bean" that connects the sculptures is based on a coco der mer, the large two-lobed nut of the Seychelles palm, which McWilliam kept in his studio. McWilliam was inspired by the ambiguous yet suggestive anatomical form and symmetrical shape of the nut, and he used this symbol to produce a series of sculptures that while abstract powerfully convey his overarching themes both transparently and subtly. Conceived and cast in an edition of three in 1965, this sculpture not only epitomizes the exuberance of sexuality that McWilliam strived to impart, but also his continued interest in tactility and command of the bronze medium. The angular twisting of the trunk juxtaposed with the sensual, organic echoed bean gives the piece a strong sense of vitality that McWilliam held as the most important element of a work of sculpture. The smooth, egg-like abstraction of the palm nut reveals a strong influence of the English sculptor Henry Moore, who was a personal friend of the artist, and of the work of Constantine Brancusi, which McWilliam greatly admired.

The present work is to be included in Dr Denise Ferran's forthcoming catalogue raisonne, F. E. McWilliam, as cat. no.285, McW 65.06.