- 118
KEITH VAUGHAN | Fruit Pickers
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 GBP
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Description
- Vaughan, Keith
- Fruit Pickers
- signed and dated /1949
- charcoal, crayon and gouache on paper laid on card
- 67 by 99cm.; 26¼ by 39in.
Provenance
Acquired by the present owner, circa 1995
Condition
The sheet has been laid down onto a backing card. There are two layers of sheets in some places, visible to the upper left corner but not visible in the present frame. The card undulates very slightly in places. The edges of the sheet have been cut slightly unevenly. There is minor frame abrasion to the edges in places, not visible in the present frame. There are a small number of minor, historic and probably restored tears at the extreme edges, largely not visible in the present frame. There is an area of slight delamination towards the lower left corner with associated very fine lines of cracking with some associated specks of loss, only visible upon close inspection. There are one or two creases to the sheet, only visible upon close inspection. There is adhesive tape running the length of the edges, not visible in the present frame. The work would benefit from this tape being removed. There may be one or two very light scuffs in places and some very light surface dust. This excepting, the work appears in good overall condition. The work is held behind glass in a painted and gilded carved wooden frame. 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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
We are grateful to Gerard Hastings, whose new book on Keith Vaughan’s graphic art is to be published later in the year by Pagham Press in Association with the Keith Vaughan Society, for his kind assistance with the catalouging of the present work, and for compiling the catalogue essay.
Although this painting has the freshness of a sketch, Vaughan has signed it as a finished work. Much of the pictorial interest lies in being able to see the artist’s working method. Each stage of the painting’s progress is retained in the final image. For example, the arms of the figure at the right simultaneously reach up to pick fruit and, in another position, hold them in his hands. Similarly the tree at the left can be seen through the torso of the figure standing in front of it. The subject of figures in an orchard picking fruit, or in a landscape reaching up to branches, occurs frequently in Vaughan’s painting at this time, (see Figures Climbing Trees, 1946, Figure Beneath a Tree Branch, 1947, Man Gathering Fruit, 1948 and Water Trees and Figures, 1948). He worked on the land as a non-combatant for the duration of the war, Vaughan was interested in the themes of man linked to his environment, the changing seasons and farmers harvesting produce.
Having been cut off from artistic developments on the continent during the war, like all British painters Vaughan visited the Picasso/Matisse exhibition at the Victoria and Albert in 1945. We can see the effect Matisse’s work had on him in the arching, curves and linear construction of the forms.
Although this painting has the freshness of a sketch, Vaughan has signed it as a finished work. Much of the pictorial interest lies in being able to see the artist’s working method. Each stage of the painting’s progress is retained in the final image. For example, the arms of the figure at the right simultaneously reach up to pick fruit and, in another position, hold them in his hands. Similarly the tree at the left can be seen through the torso of the figure standing in front of it. The subject of figures in an orchard picking fruit, or in a landscape reaching up to branches, occurs frequently in Vaughan’s painting at this time, (see Figures Climbing Trees, 1946, Figure Beneath a Tree Branch, 1947, Man Gathering Fruit, 1948 and Water Trees and Figures, 1948). He worked on the land as a non-combatant for the duration of the war, Vaughan was interested in the themes of man linked to his environment, the changing seasons and farmers harvesting produce.
Having been cut off from artistic developments on the continent during the war, like all British painters Vaughan visited the Picasso/Matisse exhibition at the Victoria and Albert in 1945. We can see the effect Matisse’s work had on him in the arching, curves and linear construction of the forms.