Items Similar to Early Spring - Scottish Abstract Expressionist art landscape oil painting
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 15
William GearEarly Spring - Scottish Abstract Expressionist art landscape oil painting1981
1981
$15,674.87
$19,593.5820% Off
£11,200
£14,00020% Off
€13,373.80
€16,717.2520% Off
CA$21,492.59
CA$26,865.7420% Off
A$23,997.05
A$29,996.3120% Off
CHF 12,517.51
CHF 15,646.8920% Off
MX$295,079.38
MX$368,849.2220% Off
NOK 157,986.60
NOK 197,483.2420% Off
SEK 148,738.82
SEK 185,923.5220% Off
DKK 99,768.57
DKK 124,710.7120% Off
Shipping
Retrieving quote...The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation
About the Item
An original oil on canvas by noted Scottish artist William Gear which dates to 1981. Entitled early Spring it is a vibrant and fresh art work with lovely colouring.
Signed, dated and titled verso.
Provenance. William Gear estate.
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists 1981.
Condition. Oil on canvas, 48 inches by 32 inches. Excellent condition.
William Gear (1915-1997). Few British painters have played an active role in the modern abstract movement of post-war Europe. William Gear was the most passionate and committed exception. He continued the tradition of the Edinburgh-Paris axis established by J.D. Fergusson, Samuel Peploe and others, spending vital years between 1947 and 1950 living and working in Paris. Significantly, in recent years, he received the greatest acclaim in France, Germany and the Netherlands. He was born in 1915 in Methil, Fife, into a mining family; the particular landscape of "pitheads, the sea, rocks, castles, trees, storms and poverty" marked his earliest identity with a place and probably remained the most influential to his art. Years later he recalled as a schoolboy visiting the local art gallery in Kirkcaldy and seeing 12 colourful still-lifes by Peploe. Art-history lessons during student years at Edinburgh College of Art, in particular Byzantine classes under David Talbot Rice, also influenced his concern for structure. This had as much to do with the formal language of painting as sheer delight in the medium itself. Gear never missed an opportunity to show people the merits of a well-constructed painting. On a travelling scholarship in 1937, he chose to study with Fernand Leger, described by Gear as "a keystone for me, seldom abstract, rather a degree of abstraction". The Second World War interrupted these formative years and, by 1940, Gear had joined the Royal Corps of Signals. Dispatched to the Middle East, he still had the discipline to paint - mostly works on paper of damaged landscapes - with exhibitions in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Cairo as well as Siena and Florence. His naturally robust and tenacious temperament was profoundly affected by visiting Bergen-Belsen, and this certainly influenced the later experiments with the black armature. As the British officer in Celle, working for the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section of the Control Commission, he focused on securing the safety of the Berlin Art Collection in Schloss Celle, and organised an important series of modern art exhibitions, including the rejected work of Karl Otto Gotz. Only a few weeks before his death, this service to "democratic art and artistic freedom" was recognised in Hanover by a unique Leporello Award, appropriately instigated by fellow artists and presented by the Lower Saxony government. Demobbed in 1947, Gear headed for Paris, where he established a one-room studio at 13 Quai des Grands Augustins. This exciting period saw him gravitating towards what he called "the freer, dramatic approach of abstraction lyrique" rather then "the dogmatic hard-edged school of Mondrian and De Stijl". Within a year there were exhibitions at two of the pioneering salons and a first one-man show at the Galerie Arc en Ciel.
At the same time inclusion in Cobra shows in Amsterdam and Copenhagen in 1949, alongside Constant, Corneille and Appel, underpinned his affiliation to a reinvigorated form of abstract expressionism. He worked at the time in the fluid medium of opaque water-colour, usually on card with pockets of intense colour on a white or neutral ground. While some pieces were purely abstract, others carried their own suggestion of landscape, or even a form of Celtic figuration.
The same year saw an exhibition at the Betty Parsons Gallery in New York, alongside Jackson Pollock. The impact of American abstract expressionism however remained a sore subject, which in conversation was usually dismissed with a curt reminder of what he and others were already painting in Europe. The decision to return to England in 1950 was both personal and practical. Recently married to Charlotte Chertok, and with a baby, he had already secured in 1948 the first of a series of London exhibitions with the Gimpel Fils Gallery. The atmosphere surrounding the Festival of Britain also appeared to offer fresh opportunities.
Notoriously, Gear was awarded one of the Festival of Britain Purchase Prizes for Autumn Landscape, a large oil on canvas which took six difficult months to complete. The event produced written questions and answers in the House of Commons and a tirade of abuse from the national press, not to mention a topic for debate on the radio programme Any Questions. While the episode made him a household name, the longer-term effects were, arguably, more detrimental. He chose not to live in London or join fellow abstract artists in St Ives, preferring the independence of a village in Kent between 1953 and 1958. This period saw the continued development of large landscape structures, as well as "side-roads" into sculptural subjects and minimalist colour paintings, which openly acknowledged the influence of Nicolas de Stael. These works have still to be properly exhibited. Mau-Mau (1953), for example, painted for the Contemporary Art Society but at the last minute withdrawn from display at the Tate Gallery, has its first London showing in the current golden jubilee exhibition at the Redfern Gallery. Gear was out of critical favour for most of the 1960s and 1970s. He exhibited more irregularly, despite returning to the use of dark structures broken by selected movements and light-inflected primary colours. While contemporaries questioned his move to Eastbourne as Curator of the Towner Art Gallery (1958-64), Gear's response was to take on the Purchase Committee. He changed the local authority's collection policy from Victorian and local views to securing the foundation of a major collection of post-war British art. His move to Birmingham came with the appointment as Head of the Faculty of Fine Art, Birmingham College of Art, in 1964, a post held until retirement in 1975, by which time he had become increasingly un- interested in the growing bureaucracy surrounding art education. His support and encouragement to artists living in Birmingham however continued with the purchases made for Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery on behalf of the Friends organisation (1987-94) as well as for his own personal collection. Most recently he instigated the idea of a gallery of modern art in Birmingham. Fortunately, the last 15 years have also gone some way to reverse the years of neglect. Gear and Stephen Gilbert (also Scottish) were the only British artists included in the major Cobra 1948-51 exhibition at the Musee d'Art Moderne, Paris, in 1982. The Cobra enthusiast Karel van Stuijvenberg has been a prominent patron and, in 1995, Gear took delight in attending the opening of the Cobra Museum of Modern Art in Amstelveen, near Amsterdam. He was equally proud of his long overdue election to the Royal Academy in 1995, and in the last years relished working with the fluidity and strong colours of oil stick. Tessa Sidey.
Exhibited and held by worldwide galleries including The Tate.
- Creator:William Gear (1915-1997, Scottish)
- Creation Year:1981
- Dimensions:Height: 48 in (121.92 cm)Width: 32 in (81.28 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU853113244632
About the Seller
5.0
Platinum Seller
Premium sellers with a 4.7+ rating and 24-hour response times
1stDibs seller since 2018
450 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: <1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: London, United Kingdom
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllLandscape Element Dec '59 - Scottish Abstract Expressionist art oil painting
By William Gear
Located in London, GB
This stunning Scottish Abstract Expressionist oil painting is by noted Scottish artist William Gear. It was painted in 1959, just after Gear moved to Eastbourne. While contemporaries...
Category
1950s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings
Materials
Oil
$13,435 Sale Price
20% Off
Spring Passage - Scottish art Abstract Expressionist oil painting Cobra Paris
By William Gear
Located in London, GB
This stunning Scottish Abstract Expressionist oil painting is by noted Scottish artist William Gear. Painted in 1950 it is an early and significant painting which dates to the early ...
Category
1950s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings
Materials
Oil
$31,349 Sale Price
20% Off
Scottish Abstract - Exhibited 1965 Abstract Expressionist art oil painting
Located in London, GB
This very striking exhibited Scottish Abstract oil painting is by influential Scottish artist Jack Knox. Painted in 1964, it is a vivid mix of autumnal colours, textures and brushwork that work perfectly. A brilliant example of his work from the early sixties and which was exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1965.
Titled and dated 21.2.64 lower right.
Provenance. Exhibited Royal Scottish Academy, Exhibition 1965, Edinburgh.
Condition. Oil on canvas, 51 inches by 36 inches unframed and in good condition.
Housed in a gilt sixties surround frame, 53 inches by 38 inches framed and in good condition.
Jack Knox RSA (1936-2015) was one of the most influential artists to work in Scotland in the second half of the twentieth century. Born John Knox to a family of tailors in Kirkintilloch, Knox studied at the Glasgow School of Art (1953-57) where his drawings were noted for their mature draughtsmanship. After graduating, Knox went to Paris to attend the atelier of Cubist artist, André L’Hȏte. During his time in Europe Knox digested the various art movements of the moment, including Surrealism, Tachisme, Colour Field and Pop Art. Visiting the great museums, he was particularly interested in Analytic Cubism and Georges Braque’s intimation, rather than description, of object. He also went to Brussels to visit the first major show of American Abstract Expressionism in Europe. He returned to Scotland eager to establish his own style, drawing on everything he had seen in Europe. In 1960 the Glasgow Herald presented an exhibition during the Edinburgh Festival of young artists from the west of Scotland. Knox was selected to show alongside George Devlin, Carole Gibbons, Anda Patterson, Douglas Abercrombie and Duncan...
Category
1960s Abstract Abstract Paintings
Materials
Oil
$15,674 Sale Price
20% Off
Midsummer - Scottish Abstract Expressionist exhibited art oil painting
By Iain Robertson
Located in London, GB
This striking exhibited large abstract oil painting is by noted Scottish artist Iain Robertson. Painted in 1998 and exhibited in the same year in London, it was completed just before he moved to Cornwall. Entitled Midsummer verso it is a riot of summery colours and heavy impasto and late twentieth century abstract expressionism. A really uplifting piece of art.
Signed and inscribed with title and dated 1998 verso.
Provenance. Solo show, 'Art First', London, 1998.
Condition. Oil on Canvas. Size 60 x 24 inches
Frame. Housed in surround frame, 62 inches by 26 inches and in good condition.
Iain Robertson (b. 1955) was born in Cyprus but grew up in Edinburgh before studying art, 1978-1982. In 1993 he worked as Artist In Residence at Grizedale Sculpture Park before relocating to Cornwall where he now lives and works. He has retained studio 7 at Porthmeor Studios in St Ives, since 2007. Previously Robertson worked in Montgomery Street Studio, Edinburgh, 1991-1999. He has exhibited widely with numerous solo shows in the UK and Europe. His work is held in public and private collections in Germany, Denmark, Norway, Scotland, England, USA and Hong Kong. His work was included in the ‘Art Now Cornwall’ exhibition at TATE St Ives Spring 2007 and at the City Art Centre, Edinburgh, 2007.
The recipient of a number of awards including Scottish Arts Council, British Council and Arts Council, Robertson was the first Scottish recipient of the Pollock Krasner Foundation, New York, in 1988.
Notable exhibitions include, Contemporary Abstract Printmaking, Artists- Rachel Clark, Ian Davenport, Christopher Le Brun, John McLean, Mali Morris...
Category
1990s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings
Materials
Oil
$7,837 Sale Price
20% Off
Abstract - Scottish 1950's Abstract art oil painting
By Alexander McNeish
Located in London, GB
This superb Scottish Abstract oil painting is by noted sixties Edinburgh artist Alexander McNeish. An early work, painted circa 1957 when McNeish was just 25 years old, it demonstrat...
Category
1950s Abstract Abstract Paintings
Materials
Oil
$6,157 Sale Price
20% Off
Abstract Valley - Welsh 1963 art abstract landscape oil painting
Located in London, GB
This superb Welsh abstract oil painting is by noted artist Thomas John Nash, better known as Tom Nash. It was painted in 1963 and is entitled on a gallery lab...
Category
1960s Abstract Abstract Paintings
Materials
Oil
$6,157 Sale Price
20% Off
You May Also Like
American Large Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Signed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage modernist abstract painting. Oil on canvas. Image size, 36L x 36H. Signed verso, "Larry Glickman".
Category
2010s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$716 Sale Price
20% Off
May Walk. Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting
By Phillip Alder
Located in Brecon, Powys
'May Walk'. oil on canvas. 20" x 30" . The sensation of walking through a dense woodland and arboretum garden during mid-spring.
Category
2010s Abstract Abstract Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Spring Again, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Elohim Sanchez
Located in Yardley, PA
Spring Again by Elohim Sanchez Oil on canvas 36" x 72" Year: 2021 :: Painting :: Abstract :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist ::...
Category
2010s Abstract Abstract Paintings
Materials
Oil
Early Spring - original painting oil on canvas
By Katherine Russell
Located in London, GB
Early Spring 2022
by Katherine Russell
original artwork oil on canvas
Katherine Russell is a London based Painter.
Moving away from previous body of work which focused on mass media and was primarily figurative. This body of work oscillates between the figurative and the abstract in dissolving the constraints of the concrete with an exploration of colour and form and movement not previously approached in this fashion by the artist.
Simple and free expression through colour, form and movement.
Education:
2014-15 MA Fine Art Painting; City and Guilds London Art School
99-02: BA (Hons) Fine Art Degree; University of Northumbria at Newcastle
98-99: BTEC Diploma Foundation Studies in Art and Design; Wimbledon School of Art and Design
Selected Exhibitions:
2020
Vitalistic Fantasies Contemporary British Painting Group The Cello Factory London, 2-8 December
2019
Made In Britain 82 Painters of the 21st Century, The National Museum Gdańsk, Poland, 14 March - 2 June
Contemporary British Painting An Exhibition of 34 Painters, The Hostry, Norwich Cathedral, Norwich, 25 April - 16 May
Disposition Summer Salon 1, Bermondsey Project Space, London, March
2018
Contemporary Masters From Britain, Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts Museum, China
2017
Contemporary Masters From Britain, Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum, Nanjing, China
Anything Goes Contemporary British Painting, Art Bermondsey Project Space, London July - August
Contemporary Masters From Britain, Yantai Art Museum, China
Contemporary Masters From Britain, Jiangsu Museum of Arts and Crafts (Artall), Nanjing, China
'Why Not Art' Launch Event, The Clock, Marylebone, London, March 2017
2016
30x30x34, Contemporary British Painting, The Crypt, St Marylebone church, November 2016- January 2017
Highly Commended Artist; The Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize 2016, Showcase Exhibition July – December 2016
Contemporary British Painting Summer Exhibition, Quay Arts, Isle of Wight, July – October 2016
Shortlisted Artists; The Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize 2016, London, May- June
Rising Stars 2016, Lloyds Register, 71 Fenchurch Street, London, Feb- March
2015
Contemporary British Painting, The Crypt, St Marylebone Church, London, Nov- Jan 2016
Recent Graduates 2015, Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park, London, October
MA Show, City & Guilds London Art School, September
Summer Salon, Lubomirov/ Angus Hughes Gallery, August.
Documentary Realism: Painting in the Digital Age, St Marylebone Crypt, London, March
16/15, Group Exhibition, The Muse, Portobello road, London, February
Priseman Seabrook Collection of 21st Century Painting, Huddersfield Art Gallery, November- March
@ Paint Britain, Ipswich Museum, November 2014 - March 15
2014
'The Girl Who Wasn't There.' Solo Show, A&D Gallery, 51 Chiltern Street Marylebone, London, June
'Home,' The Crossley Gallery, Dean Clough, Halifax, June - September
2013
Group Show, Contemporary British Painting, The Crypt, St Marylebone church, London, December-January
'Passing Through.' Solo show, Contemporary British Painting, The Crypt,
St Marylebone Church, London, September
Press/Print Literature:
Made In Britain 82 Painters of the 21st Century, Catalogue
Contemporary Masters from Britain, China Touring Show, Catalogue
MA Show, City & Guilds London Art School, Catalogue
Documentary Realism: Painting in the Digital Age Accompanying Catalogue & Essay Collection, 2015
@PaintBritain, Ipswich Art Gallery, Artlyst review, 2015
Priseman Seabrook Collection of 21st Century Painting Catalogue & Yorkshire Art...
Category
2010s Abstract Abstract Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Spring Beach: Contemporary Abstract Oil Painting
Located in Brecon, Powys
Michael Sheppard is an abstract artist based in Cornwall in the far south west of England. Michael’s work captures moments in time and his subtle shades are created with a luminosity...
Category
Early 2000s Abstract Abstract Paintings
Materials
Oil
Abstract 8, Oil Painting by Isabel Gamerov
By Isabel Gamerov
Located in Long Island City, NY
Although pioneered by Jackson Pollock, many artists have taken abstract expressionism and brought it into the contemporary. Gamerov captures movement and color with bold enthusiasm i...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings
Materials
Paper, Oil
More Ways To Browse
Damaged Art
William Castle
Cobra Art Signed
Celtic Art
Scotland Castles
Scottish Castle
Vintage World Radio
German Early 20th Century Expressionist Painting
British Officer Painting
Post Modern Parson
Vintage French Radio
J Rice
Netherlands Painting Early 20th Century
The Redfern Gallery London
St Leger
German Vintage Radios
Vintage Mining Signs
Paintings Of Scottish Castles