John Craxton, R.A.

Mayor Gallery, London
Sale, Christie's London, 12th July 1973, lot 112, where acquired by the husband of the present owner

Original canvas. There is very minor surface dirt, and traces of slight surface matter. There are two slight instances of loss, the first in a tiny spot in the top right hand corner, and the second to the centre of the extreme left hand edge. This excepting the work appears in good overall condition. Ultraviolet light reveals areas which appear in keeping with the artist's technique and do not suggest retouchings. Housed in a thin gilt wood frame. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present lot.
"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."

‘..with a decisive thrust forward he grabbed the top two legs and somersaulted backwards over the chair and on to his feet again, to continue dancing until the record finished’ (Ian Collins, John Craxton, Lund Humphries, Farnham, 2011)

In 1947 John Craxton paid a first visit to Crete, to see the palace of King Minosat Knossos, the birthplace of El Greco and a butcher in Herakleion market. The last of these had been a star turn in the tavernas of Poros during national service in the Greek Navy, performing the popular Greek dance the zeibekiko with ‘splendidly controlled steps, clicking his thumbs and forefingers and circling round and round in his white uniform like a seagull’. He danced in front of a chair placed on its back on the ground until ‘with a decisive thrust forward he grabbed the top two legs and somersaulted backwards over the chair and on to his feet again, to continue dancing until the record finished’. Back in England, and visiting Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, Craxton saw the Knossos Bull-Leaper fresco as re-created by archaeologist Arthur Evans and was struck by an uncanny similarity. Now he was sure that he had witnessed an extraordinary folk survival. (Ian Collins, John Craxton,Lund Humphries, Farnham, 2011).

Ian Collins

Ian is currently preparing the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the Artist's work and would like to hear from owners for inclusion in this comprehensive catalogue. Please write to Ian Collins, c/o Sotheby's Modern & Post-War British Art, 34-35 New Bond Street, London, W1A 2AA.