Edward Burra

The Lefevre Gallery, London
Private Collection

The sheet is sound. The stamped signature has faded, there are old pinholes in the corners and a minor cut along the upper left edge of the sheet otherwise in good original condition with strong colours throughout. Held in a simple gilt frame under glass; unexamined out of frame. If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact the 20th Century British Art department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424.
"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."

In contrast to much of his fantastical imagery, Burra's still lifes were depicted from life, and both lots 53 and 54 are depicted in great detail. There is no doubting the influence of seventeenth-century still life painting when looking at the close attention to detail and focus on surface texture. Almost every surface in the present work is highly reflective, and as with the painting of the bottles in lot 53, the surfaces seem to reflect a window which is out of our view. These radiant surfaces are contrasted by other textures, such as the matt china in lot 53, and the material in the present work.

Burra combines this focus on the hard surface with an investigation into internal form, tilting his still life objects, such as the large pot in the present work, and the cup in the previous lot, towards the viewer. The deep dark chasm of the pot presents a great void in the centre of the composition. The trompe l'oeil effect of these interiors is continued in the surfaces upon which the still lifes are presented. Although the marbled veneer of the tabletop in the present lot has a different appearance to the white cloth used in lot 53, both surfaces provide visually ambiguous platforms on which the objects are placed. The marbled surface reflects the objects on the table, but their appearance is distorted and ghostlike. The truncating of objects, such as the bottles and pipe, along the edges of the watercolours, emphasises the ambiguity of the works and confirms Burra's ability to make the genre of still life as wonderfully surreal as anything in his oeuvre.