Patrick Heron

Waddington Galleries, London
Dr. Charles Damiano
Lord McAlpine
Sam Fogg, London, where acquired by the present owner, 28th August 1990

London, Waddington Galleries, Four English Middle Generation Painters: Heron, Frost, Wynter, Hilton, May 1959, cat. no.27;
Cardiff, National Museum of Wales, Seven British Painters of Today, 4th July - 25th July 1959, cat. no.20, illustrated, with Arts Council tour to National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth and Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea;
London, Architectural Association, short-term loan, 1959;
Oxford, Museum of Modern Art, Patrick Heron: A Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings 1957-66, 21st May - 15th June 1968, cat. no.13;
London, Tate, short-term loan, 1980s;
London, Tate, Patrick Heron, 25th June - 6th September 1998, cat. no.32, illustrated.

Alan Bowness, 'Middle Generation', Art News and Review, 9th May 1959, illustrated p.7;
Robert Hughes, Patrick Heron Retrospective, exh. cat., Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh, June - July 1967, illustrated;
Ronald Alley, 'Patrick Heron - the Development of a Painter', Studio International, July - August 1967, illustrated p.19;
Alan Gouk, 'Patrick Heron', Artscribe 34, 1982, p.51, illustrated;
Mel Gooding, Patrick Heron, Phaidon Press Ltd., London, 1994, p.148-9, illustrated.

The following condition report has been kindly prepared by Phil Young of Philip Young Conservation Ltd. This painting is in a good condition with little evidence of restoration or damage. Canvas tension is good and all stretcher keys are secured by tape. The corners and edges have some level of burnishing and rubbing, the right upper edge has some scuffing and abrasion but no restoration around this area. In the lower left grey square is a diagonal retouching appearing pale and matte. On the back directly behind this is what looks to be glue which has been put onto the canvas and now discoloured. The canvas here is still slightly raised, and it could be that this was an early attempt to flatten a scrape from the back which had caused lifting and cracking, possibly also paint loss, at the face. It is likely that the expanse of the retouching is greater than the actual paint loss Or damage. It should be possible in future to remove the retouching and glue (there is no sign of canvas damage), and more accurately restore this area. Please contact the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

'The language of space in colour can doubtless be made to express anything that stirs in the consciousness of man.'

Patrick Heron, from his introduction to the exhibition catalogue for Space in Colour at the Hanover Gallery, London 1953, quoted in (ed.) Vivien Knight, Patrick Heron, London, 1988, p.26.