Ivon Hitchens

Waddington Galleries, Montreal
Sale, Christie's London, 25th November 1993, lot 141, where acquired by David Bowie

Original canvas. The canvas undulates very slightly in the lower right corner and the upper left corner, but otherwise appears sound. There is a small fleck of loss apparent in the lower left corner, and a small fleck of loss apparent in the upper right corner, possibly in line with the artist's pinholes. There is a further small fleck of loss to the yellow pigment just to left of centre of the work, and also a very small loss just to the right of the blue impasto element at the centre of the upper horizontal edge, as well as a tiny possible point of loss to the white pigment in the lower right quadrant. There is a very light horizontal scuff to the ochre pigment in the upper left quadrant. There are minor traces of surface dirt and possible staining to the white pigment in the lower left quadrant, and the work may benefit from a light clean. Subject to the above the work is in very good overall condition, with fresh and bright colours throughout and rich passages of impasto. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals no obvious signs of restoration or retouching. The work is present in a gilt painted wooden frame with a white painted slip. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"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."

September Water, in Ivon Hitchens' familiar long, horizontal format, presents the distillation of vision that the artist had come to in his maturity. Hitchens approached each day as a precious and urgent opportunity to venture outside to paint, expecting to spend hours outdoors until it became too cold to perform his meticulous painting routine around Christmas. Subject to the variable English weather, the passing daylight, and the changing seasons, the majority of Hitchens’ canvases were completed on site within a day. Though often suffering from ill health, the artist determinedly continued these painting adventures into his advancing years and would continue to paint and exhibit right up to his death.

The general trajectory of Hitchens’ artistic expression is towards abstraction; elements that were once easily recognisable are reduced to their essence, and form and handling assume an increasing autonomy. As such, his landscapes of the sixties are notably more abstract than those of the forties and therefore present a visual challenge to the viewer. It is however in these later works that the gradual process of deciphering can be the most gratifying. In September Water, the composition appears to be shaped according to the movement of the artist’s gaze across the scenery, fluently transforming the sensations of nature into paint applied to a flat surface. Reflections and layers of sky and foliage slowly take form beneath the warm glow of the yellow September light – a moving patchwork of paint becomes a dense arrangement of natural elements as one follows Hitchens’ brushstrokes into and around the canvas.

Hitchens rarely visited London after moving to Sussex, but his works were nevertheless shown in numerous exhibitions throughout his career and he even declined a number of awards, including two nominations as a Royal Academician. Despite these achievements, it was his Tate retrospective of 1963 organized by the Arts Council that was the truest mark of recognition for Hitchens, confirming his status among British artists. Painted in 1964 when Hitchens was 71 years old, September Water is a work of an artist at the height of their powers, drawing not only on decades of experimentation and experience, but also on years of profound dedication.