- 209
Brian Uhing
Description
- Brian Uhing
- In The Guerdoners Garden
- Signed
- Oil on canvas
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."
Catalogue Note
Brian Uhing summons the visual language of his guild as he narrates allegories of his being and his yearnings. His influences are pedigreed. The colors of Titian, the whimsicality of Bruegel, and the enigma of Magritte. Uhing labored countless hours to quench his obsession for perfection by employing layers upon layers of his glazing technique to bequeath human tone on the skin, bestow verdant texture upon the leaves, imbue style and elegance on the garments and jewelry, and conjure dreams of puffy cotton balls floating in the sky.
Underneath the physicality of his imageries, Uhing bares the exacting nature of his art which he personifies in the likeness of a Renaissance woman who demands resplendent perfection. “I always see my art as a woman, and a demanding kind of a woman. I am a bit of a perfectionist, if I didn’t do it right, I will start all over again.” Uhing shares that he sometimes goes penniless because he will not release a painting unless he feels absolutely satisfied of its uncompromised completion. For In The Guerdoners Garden, he spent more than a thousand hours glazing, drying, and repeating the glazing process again six times on end.
Uhing presents riddles in his visual figuration, leaving ample space for the viewer to introspect on the rewards of faithful devotion to one’s passion. The artist sees the ephemeral fruits of passion in the trimmings of affluence. But his whole being craves for the enduring rewards of the warmth of home, a tranquil sky, and abiding affection.
Guerdon is reward in medieval Latin. Like the artists of yore, Brian Uhing’s canvas is his Guerdoners Garden.