Duncan Grant

Denys Miller Sutton, and thence by descent to the present owner

London, Wildenstein & Co. Ltd, Duncan Grant and His World, November 1964, cat. no.89.

 

Structurally sound, there are signs where the wooden panels have been slightly unevenly cut, and have, in a couple of isolated spots, very minor pin holes, only visible upon very close inspection. There are very minor traces of light surface matter, and a pressure mark to the black triangle of the non-figurative panel at the end, with a couple more appearing to the other side, but this excepting the work appears in very good overall condition. Ultraviolet light reveals one of two minor traces of fluorescence and probable old retouchings. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"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."

The three figures on this screen are related to Grant’s large painting The Arrival of the Italian Comedy which he contributed to the Arts Council’s  exhibition Sixty Paintings for ‘51, during the Festival of Britain (see R. Shone, The Art of Bloomsbury, 1999, p.35, fig.43). From the 1920s onwards he had been inspired by the Commedia dell’ arte, particularly in his applied and decorative art.  The reverse of the screen is a highly representative example of Grant’s later non-figurative style of looping contours and areas of flat, spaciously brushed colour. This style also appears on two later screens, the reverse of one of c. 1965 (Private Collection, Northern Ireland) and the principle motif of another commissioned by the American poet David Shapiro for his New York apartment  in 1970.

When shown at Grant’s 1964 Wildenstein retrospective, in the year the screen  was painted, no lender was credited and presumably Denys Sutton, Editor of Apollo who had written the exhibition catalogue, acquired the screen shortly afterwards.

We are grateful to Richard Shone for his kind assistance with compiling the catalogue entry for the present work.