Willy Smitz

'War and Peace', Mid-Century Belgian Surrealist Oil on Board.

1954

Surrealist, figurative large scale pastel of a deconstructed head and other elements by Gordon Muir. With original exhibition title label. Presented in fine silvered wood and fabric custom frame, under glass. A magnificent and truly monumental work of a 'deconstructed' head and three other triptych elements. Influenced by the paintings of Francis Bacon and Salvador Dali the work is intriguing and arresting at the same time. We can see how Muir gained such success later for his sculptural pieces as he is even in this work thinking in three dimensions. On closer inspection the details reveal themselves, the eyeball reminiscent of the shell of a horse chestnut, the furry surface to the tongue all in soft pastel shades. The three upper elements, in monochrome revealing the development of man. A really intriguing and strong painting that would grace any interior and be the talking point of any collection. It is very unusual to find a pastel of these proportions. The medium itself gives the work a softness creating an intriguing juxtaposition to the subject itself. Sculptor, born in Hawick, Gordon Muir was educated at art colleges in London, Scotland and the University of New Mexico, after which he spent time working with woodblock artists in Japan. He has more recently concentrated his artistic endeavours on sculpture, much of this in collaboration with the Paul Hogarth...

Mid-Century acrylic on board of Venetian gondolas in harbour signed L Mariani, bottom right. This is a jewel of a painting. Its bright, joyful and intense c...

French Surrealist Oil Painting Mid 20th Century Oil painting on canvas, unframed Canvas size: 24 x 18 inches This intriguing oil definitely ignites some expressive thoughts - one in...

Artist/ School: by Claude Lagouche (French 1943-2020), see provenance details below. Claude Lagouche was born January 2, 1943 in Naves, died January 16, 2020. He quickly gained rec...