William Scott, R.A. 1913-1989

Following the energetic and rhythmic nature of his series of Berlin Blues from the mid 1960s and the outburst of curvilinear shapes and forms that he developed for murals at Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry and the new Irish Television Centre, Dublin, Scott's series of work from the late 1960s and 70s took on a fresh and understated aesthetic. His new pictures marked a return to the still life subject matter that had been a major pre-occupation throughout his life and which had become fundamental to both the form and content of his work. 

The genesis for his life long treatment of the theme was a visit to an exhibition in Paris in the summer of 1946 entitled A Thousand Years of Still Life Painting which left him 'really overwhelmed by the fact that the subject had hardly changed for 1000 years, and yet each generation in turn expressed its own period and feelings and time within this terribly limited narrow range of the still life ' (Scott, quoted in Norbert Lynton, William Scott, London 2004, p.61). Despite the seemingly 'limited' subject, the exhibition clearly left him in no doubt as to the power of the genre and its capacity for artistic creativity.  By 1969, the year that marked his new series on the theme, he had developed the distinctive forms evident in the present work; the long handled frying pan, square bowl and round bottomed dish. The instantly recognisable forms clearly reference early works such as The Frying Pan (1946, Arts Council Collection, Hayward Gallery, London) whilst the minimalist handling also demonstrates the evolution of his work in an abstract direction since the 1940s. 

Moving on from the first works in the series such as Still Life Brown with Black Note (1969, Bank of Ireland Group), the present work represents the climax of the group where a restricted palette of colours specific to each work allowed the artist to explore different variations or Permutations on the same theme.  In contrast to the heavier tones of other works such as Permutation - Brown (1977, Private Collection) and Permuation Orange (1978, Private Collection), the subtle hues of the present work achieve an almost luminous effect whilst the ethereal line of the central motif provides a delicate counterpoint to the white impastoed forms. The combination of elements demonstrates the purity of the artist's vision and provides a clear indication of the artist's absolute enjoyment of his subject.

The present work is listed with the William Scott Archive as Archive number 1245 and will be included in the William Scott Catalogue Raisonné of works in oil.