Howard Hodgkin

Gagosian Gallery, London
Private Collection (acquired directly from the above)
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate. Condition: This work is in very good condition. No restoration is apparent when examined under ultra-violet light.
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Later Venetian Glass is an elegant example of Howard Hodgkin’s most recent work. Dominated by a sumptuously rich deep blue, the panel is divided into two halves by a vivid splash of brilliant orange, reminiscent of the setting sun dancing over the ocean waves. The expansive brushstrokes reach right to the very edge of the frame, a traditional motif within Hodgkin’s oeuvre, almost as though the panel cannot contain the sheer exuberance of the paint surface. The inclusion of the frame within the integral body of the work is of crucial significance to the artist, as Nicholas Serota has noted: ‘Hodgkin is fascinated by frames… For him, the frame is not something to be added as protection or separation once the painting has been completed. Rather it is a device that must either be incorporated physically into the painting as part of its making, or created as an illusion to give definition to his subject.’ (Nicholas Serota in: Exhibition Catalogue, London, Tate Britain, Howard Hodgkin, 2006, p. 13).

Venice has long been a source of inspiration to Hodgkin. Following his commission to represent Britain at the XLI Venice Biennale in 1984, the artist began to create a series of works which represented his impressions of the city, seeking to record his own personal responses and the mood of the place rather than the actuality of his surroundings: ‘I want to get the sort of evasiveness of reality into my pictures.’ (Howard Hodgkin, in an interview with David Sylvester, Howard Hodgkin, Forty Paintings 1973-84, Whitechapel Art Gallery, 1984, p. 97). An earlier work entitled Venetian Glass (1984-7, exhibited at Tate Britain 2006) also features a deep blue frame and predominately blue and orange palette, although the colours are not as intense and vibrant as those of the current lot. Hodgkin here appears to be referencing the venerable tradition of glassmaking in Venice, which had been known as a centre of excellence in the art since the early medieval period. The colours within Later Venetian Glass are reminiscent of those found within aventurine glass, a particularly striking example of the craft, featuring areas of sparkling copper pigments that are frequently enclosed within a deep blue background for maximum visual effect. The current lot can thus be seen as an admiring homage to the artisans of Venice, as well as a loving tribute to the extraordinary beauty of a city which has provided artists with inspiration throughout the centuries.