Robyn Denny

Gimpel Fils, London, where acquired by R. H. Wethered, Esq., March 1958

London, Gimpel Fils, Paintings by Robyn Denny, April 1958, cat. no.8.

Original canvas. The canvas appears sound. The canvas undulates very slightly in places, due to the nature of the Artist's materials. There are some scuff marks, possibly previous frame abrasions, to all four corners with minor associated losses, and there are a few minor further abrasions along the extreme edges. There are some further scuffs to the work in places, some of which may be in keeping with the Artist's working method. There is an area of slight flattening to the tip of one element of impasto in the lower left quadrant, with some associated studio detritus. There are three small specks of loss to the cream pigment in the upper right corner. There are two slight rings of staining apparent to the upper left corner, with some instances of studio detritus and surface dirt in places to the work. Ultraviolet light reveals no obvious signs of fluorescence or retouching. The work is float mounted within a simple wood frame. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
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‘Here’s a young guy thinking about placement, arrangement, contrast and order, how to make limited means seem rich. Why have letters? Why have bits of the literal world? Why have collage? It’s not to re-do Cubism. It’s to get somewhere else, out of an appreciation of art history that seems rather constrained and into the milling excitement of now, the ideas, aims and beliefs of your own moment.’

(Matthew Collings, Don’t be Afraid: The Abstract Art of Robyn Denny, in Robyn Denny/Paintings/Collages/1954-1968, exhibition catalogue, Jonathan Clark Fine Art & Co., Laurent Delaye Gallery, London, 2007, (exh. cat.) unpaginated)