Peter Howson

Flowers East Gallery, London, where purchased by the present owner in 2002

Original canvas. The work appears in very good original condition with strong passages of impasto, ready to hang. Under UV light there are no signs of retouching. Held in a dark stained wood box frame.
"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."

Much of Howson’s early work focuses on a single masculine image – often a boxer or tough man. As with lot 58, The Boxer, we feel the force of the fist; the minimal background places the figure within a boxing gym. In Schelomo, there is no such contextualising of the figure. The powerful torso and gritty, rutted head are closely cropped. The large scale of the canvas magnifies the impact of this close-up portrait. The viewer questions who is this figure, with its rather enigmatic title. Schelomo is Hebrew for Solomon and Howson appears to be referencing King Solomon. He was raised in a highly religious family and some of his earliest works were on themes such as the Crucifixion. As a classical music fan, it is possible Howson has come upon the name through the composer Ernst Bloch’s Jewish cycle for cello and orchestra of the same name. The piece focuses on King Solomon in Ecclesiastes and the despairing notion  “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!” (Ecclesiastes I:2) Ergo: all is meaningless. This bleak perspective would chime with much of Howson’s work, where a recurrent motif is aggression and hopelessness.