Roger Hilton, C.B.E.

Sale, Christie's South Kensington, 16th September 1998, lot 255, where acquired by the present owner

Not viewed out of the frame. The board appears sound. There is some reticulation across several areas of the painted surface, most apparent in the upper right and lower half of the composition, and a small fleck of loss in the lower left corner. There are two very slight possible scuffs in the upper right quadrant, visible only upon close inspection. There is some light surface dirt and matter, most prominent towards the centre of the composition and towards the lower left edge, and also some light studio detritus across the work. Subject to the above, the work appears to be in good condition. Ultraviolet light reveals no obvious signs of fluorescence or retouching. The work is housed in a limed wooden frame, with a painted wooden mount and linen slip, under glass. 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."

We are grateful to Timothy Bond for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.

This masterly painting has a presence which belies its small format, and was made at a moment when Hilton's achievements finally reached a position worthy of wide recognition. His inclusion in the Artists' International Association (AIA) exhibition Abstract Paintings, Sculpture, Mobiles in May-June 1951 is usually assessed as this moment. Years ahead might still wait before the 'unique Hilton' appeared as Norbert Lynton described him, but the year 1951 saw works that had nevertheless an authority in comparison to that of his finest contemporaries on the mainland of Europe. The present work exemplifies qualities that Patrick Heron was one of the first to celebrate in Hilton's painting, in his essay and its related exhibition Space in Colour. He wrote that colour 'is the utterly indispensable means for realizing the various species of pictorial space', ... 'as powerful an agent of spatial expression as drawing.'

Timothy Bond