▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) Untitled (Playtime), c.1964 mixed media and found objects on board 34.5cm wide 10cm deep 123cm high Provenance: With Gimpel Fils, London; the property of a private collector. Literature: Toby Treves, 'Peter Lanyon: Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil Paintings and Three-Dimensional Works', Modern Art Press, St James's Place, London, 2018, no. 556, illustrated p.606. This construction was one of three created by the artist between 1963 and 1964, the others were titled 'Holiday Coast' and Untitled (Red Cliff). Peter Lanyon's artistic endeavours in the early 1960s are characterised by a profound engagement with materiality. 'Untitled (Playtime)', circa 1964, merges commonplace materials with painterly techniques to represent the Cornish landscape in an abstract and tactile manner. This reflects Lanyon's persistent focus on the physical qualities of the coastal environment, intertwining his interests in landscape, motion, and tangible objects. A subsequent piece, 'Untitled (Playtime)', circa 1964, is part of a triptych that includes 'Holiday Coast' and 'Untitled (Red Cliff)'. Similar to 'Oarscape', this work further demonstrates Lanyon's dedication to a direct engagement with his environment's materiality. The diverse textures present in these objects, ranging from the rough, grit-infused paint to the smooth plastic, facilitate a dynamic interaction between organic and synthetic materials. 'The objects, which range from a car wing mirror, a hinge, broken plastic sunglasses to a small wooden spoon, various electrical fittings and some shards of china, do not seem to have anything in common apart from being man-made detritus. The mussel shell at the left, which is the only organic object, may provide a context for the other material as jetsam.' (Treves, 2018) The inclusion of the plastic container and metal components indicates a greater reliance on industrial remnants, reflecting a broader trend in British modernist sculpture towards an aesthetic more influenced by urban and technological elements. We can also see an influence of Pop Art in 'Untitled (Playtime)' . This is untypical for Lanyon and may not have been intentional but simply how the subsequent viewer perceives the work in the context of mid-century art. The work was never exhibited and the title and date were assigned posthumously. Condition Report: Fine horizontal cracking to the paint in line with the grain of the board. Surface dust and dirt. Brown spotting and staining to the lower third. Abrasions to the surface of the silver object in the centre. The white plastic object in the bottom right corner is loose with pieces missing around the edge- it is unclear if this is as it was at the time of construction, or later damage. The silver tap/handle at the top is also a little loose. Slight rubbing to the extreme edges. A couple of minor paint losses at the top. For a more detailed report and additional images please contact the department.
▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) 'Oarscape', 1962 inscribed and dated 'LANYON/OARSCAPE 1962' verso, found objects and oil paint on board 202.5cm wide 8cm deep 52cm high Provenance: The estate of the artist; the property of a private collector. Exhibited: Gimpel Fils, London, 'Peter Lanyon, Reliefs, Constructions and Related Paintings', 20 May - 21 June 1975, cat no. 24; Camden Arts Centre, London, 'Peter Lanyon: Air, Land and Sea', Arts Council touring exhibition, 6 November - 20 December 1992, cat no. 34, touring to: Mead Gallery, Coventry, 11 January - 13 February 1993; Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield, 20 February - 18 April 1993; Newlyn Art Gallery, Penzance, 1 May - 13 June 1993; Victoria Art Gallery, Bath, 'Porthmeor: A Peter Lanyon Mural Rediscovered', 24 October 2008 - 4 January 2009. Literature: 'Peter Lanyon: Air, Land and Sea', published by the South Bank Centre, London, 1992, illustrated p.48. Andrew Lanyon, 'Peter Lanyon', Andrew Lanyon and St Ives Printing and Publishing Company, Penzance, Cornwall, 1990, illustrated p.227; Patrick Heron, Margaret Garlake, Martin Holman, Peter Lanyon, 'Peter Lanyon: Air, Land and Sea', South Bank Centre Publications, London, 1992, illustrated p.40; Chris Stephens, 'Peter Lanyon: At the Edge of Landscape', published by 21 Publishing, London, 2000, p.167, illustration no. 97; Toby Treves, 'Peter Lanyon: Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil Paintings and Three-Dimensional Works', Modern Art Press, St James's Place, London, 2018, no. 525, illustrated p.562. 'Oarscape', 1962, features a physical oar, which Lanyon painted and partially scraped to expose layers of black and white pigment, yielding a weathered appearance. This oar is affixed to a white laminate board, positioned next to a painted tile fragment and a piece of board, with the entire assembly resting on a larger rectangle painted in blue-grey, accented by hints of black and beige. This composition illustrates Lanyon's drive to incorporate 'real things' into his creative process, a notion he first articulated in a 1951 letter to William Scott, where he expressed his intention to create landscapes using objects like oars or even larger industrial machinery (William Scott Foundation Archive). While he approached this idea with a sense of humour, by the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had successfully realised this vision by constructing assemblages from items discovered along the Cornish coastline. The long, thin format echoes 'Porthmeor Mural' and 'Porthleven' (lot 16) which Lanyon is likely to have been working on at the same time as 'Oarscape'. Lanyon's proposed orientation of the work is not known, we have shown the blade of the oar to the right as this is how it has been reproduced in the past. Photographs taken in 1958, show the oar leaning against the wall of his studio, although the shaft has subsequently been painted black by the artist. (Treves, 2018) Condition Report: Presents well overall. There are some brown spots and speckles on the white board on which the oar is mounted, and it is unclear if these are original. The green background paint has been thinly applied in places and there is a small white mark/ abrasion (?) in the upper left corner. Small knocks and chips to the edges of the boards which are believed to be original rather tham a later issue with condition. A little little light surface dust and dirt trapped behind the glazing at the bottom of the frame. Not viewed out of glazed frame. For a detailed report and additional images please contact the department.
▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) Porthleven, 1962 signed and dated twice 'Lanyon 62' and 'Lanyon 10/4/62' l.r., inscribed with title to l.l. edge, also signed, dated and inscribed 'Lanyon/62/1 sketch for Stanley Seager/NJ US' to right edge verso, gouache and ink 105 x 992cm Provenance: Given to Andrew Lanyon by his mother, Mrs S M Lanyon; the property of a private collector. Literature: Michael Bird, 'Porthmeor: A Peter Lanyon Mural Rediscovered', a catalogue published by Victoria Art Gallery, Bath, for the exhibition held 25 October 2008 - 4 January 2009, illustrated p.34; Toby Treves, 'Peter Lanyon; Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil Paintings and Three-Dimensional Works', Modern Art Press, London, 2018, illustrated p.565, fig.137. Peter Lanyon's 'Porthleven' (1962) and Its Transformation into 'Porthmeor': A Study of Landscape, Abstraction, and Identity Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) was a pivotal figure in British modernism, particularly within the St Ives School, where he redefined landscape painting through abstraction. His approach did not simply depict the natural world but rather sought to capture its movement, atmosphere, and raw physicality. 'Porthleven' (1962), a preparatory piece for the large-scale 'Porthmeor' mural, exemplifies Lanyon's engagement with landscape as a lived and dynamic experience. This work reflects not only his personal connection to Cornwall but also broader themes of artistic evolution, international patronage, and the challenges of translating place on to canvas. The Commission and the Evolution of 'Porthleven' In 1962, American collector Stanley J Seeger commissioned Lanyon to create a monumental painting for the music room of his Texas residence, Bois d'Arc. Seeger, who had been collecting Lanyon's work since 1957, initiated the commission after seeing his exhibition at the Catherine Viviano Gallery in New York (Causey, 1994). Lanyon responded by producing three full-scale gouache and ink sketches – 'Porthleven', 'Bois d'Arc' and 'Delaware' before Seeger selected 'Porthleven' as the final design. To complete the mural, Lanyon relocated his workspace to the larger Porthmeor Studios in St Ives. However, when the finished painting arrived in the United States in November 1962, Seeger noticed significant deviations from the original concept. In response, Lanyon travelled to Texas to modify the work over a two-week period. The exact changes he made remain unclear, but the painting was ultimately accepted and remained in Seeger's home for nearly four decades (Stephens, 2000). The decision to rename the piece 'Porthmeor' suggests a conceptual shift - perhaps a personal reconnection to the Cornish landscape, despite its intended function within an American setting. Lanyon's Immersive Approach to Landscape Unlike traditional landscape painters who sought to represent a static scene, Lanyon developed a practice that emphasised immersion, movement, and physical engagement. His work was heavily influenced by his experiences of walking the rugged Cornish terrain, feeling the force of the Atlantic winds, and later, gliding above the landscape. This aerial perspective fundamentally reshaped his spatial compositions, leading to fragmented, multi-angled forms that evoke the sensation of being within the landscape rather than merely observing it (Cross, 2007). David Lewis, a close friend of Lanyon and a central figure in the St Ives movement, described this approach vividly: 'His paintings were the landscape in action. It was as if his brushes, laden with liquid pigments, were the collisions of seas, winds and clouds, and the surfaces on which he painted were the granite core of the land.' (Lewis, 1980). 'Porthleven', as a transitional work, encapsulates this philosophy. The gestural dynamism of the painting - marked by sweeping lines, layered textures, and a palette suggestive of sea, sky, and rock - conveys the elemental energy of the Cornish coast. Lanyon did not seek to illustrate the town of Porthleven itself but rather to express its essence: the movement of waves against the harbour, the shifting weather, and the ever-changing light. The 1960s Context: Transatlantic Modernism and the St Ives School Lanyon's work in the early 1960s coincided with a period of increasing international recognition. His exhibitions in New York placed him in dialogue with the Abstract Expressionists, particularly artists like Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline, whose gestural techniques resonated with his own (Stephens, 2000). However, while American abstraction often prioritised non-representational forms, Lanyon remained firmly rooted in the idea that landscape - specifically the Cornish landscape - should remain central to his practice. This transatlantic exchange was further emphasized by the commission for Seeger. The journey of 'Porthleven' from Cornwall to Texas highlights the shifting patronage of modern art, as well as the challenges of adapting a highly localised, site-responsive artistic practice to an international audience. The eventual renaming of the mural to 'Porthmeor' may suggest Lanyon's desire to reclaim its connection to St Ives, particularly as the site of his new studio and a deeply personal space of artistic creation. Conclusion: 'Porthleven' as a Pivotal Work in Lanyon's Oeuvre The transformation of 'Porthleven' into 'Porthmeor' reveals the complexities of Lanyon's artistic process, balancing personal vision with external expectations. As a preparatory work, 'Porthleven' serves as a vital document of his evolving compositional strategies, capturing the raw energy of the Cornish landscape in a way that transcends traditional representation. Lanyon's untimely death in 1964 following a gliding accident only intensifies the significance of his late works. His paintings were never mere landscapes - they were embodiments of lived experience, infused with the physicality of place and movement. As Lewis poignantly observed, 'He has left us with a legacy of relentlessly fierce clash-filled visual poems, in all likelihood the most powerful, direct and dramatic landscape poetry of our century.' (Lewis, 1980). Through works like 'Porthleven' and 'Porthmeor', Lanyon's legacy endures, not as a painter of landscapes, but as an artist who made landscape itself an active, dynamic force within modern painting. References A Causey, 'Peter Lanyon: Modernism and the Land', Reaktion Books, 1994. D Lewis, Peter Lanyon and the Poetics of Landscape', Tate Papers, 1980. T Cross, 'Painting the Warmth of the Sun: St Ives Artists 1939-1975', Tate Publishing, 2007. C Stephens, 'Peter Lanyon: At the Edge of Landscape', Tate Publishing, 2000. Condition Report: Stored rolled. Undulations and creases. Numerous rips and tears, some repaired with tape verso. The upper right corner has a 32cm wide x 17cm high section missing and the work is backed with paper in this area. The top edge is stuck down/ backed along the length of the work with a strip of thick paper. Dirty marks and light stains in places. Faint footprint (?) marks to the upper right. There is a vertical tear through the centre of the work approx 550cm in from the right edge which has been repaired with a wide strip of paper applied to the reverse. Rips and a large number of pinhloes/ piercingss to the top edge. Fine cracking, scuffs and abrasions to the paint. Foxing to the edges and reverse. A small hole to the lower centre. A large vertical tear 43cm in length which has been repaired with tape verso, approx. 350cm in from the right edge at the bottom of the sheet. Please see additional condition images.
▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) 'Portreath' - pier and red brick house with stamped signature 'Lanyon' l.r., inscribed with title and dated '1948' verso, pencil and pastel with wash 29 x 39cm, unframed Provenance: Rosa Levin, Cornwall; the property of a private collector. Literature: Andrew Lanyon, 'Portreath: The Paintings of Peter Lanyon', published by Andrew Lanyon, Cornwall, 2003, illustrated. Condition Report: The edges are torn and uneven. A small hole to the left edge, upper centre. Pinholes to corners. A little time staining. A slight undulation to the centre of the sheet.
▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) 'Drawing for Wood Sculpture' signed 'Peter Lanyon', inscribed with title and dated '1947' verso, ink, gouache and chalk 27 x 21cm Provenance: The collection of Mr. L.J.W. Lanyon, Cornwall; the property of a private collector. Condition Report: Framed: 44.5 x 38cm A faint border of discolouration to the upper and left edges, appears to be in otherwise good condition. Well presented and ready to hang.
▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) Study of Portreath, c.1959 with two 'Lanyon' stamped signatures verso, black chalk and gouache 24.5 x 37.5cm Provenance: With Gimpel Fils Ltd., London; the property of a private collector. Exhibited: Gimpel Fils, London, 'Peter Lanyon', 9 April - 17 May 2003, catalogue no. 13. Literature: Andrew Lanyon, 'Portreath: The Paintings of Peter Lanyon', published by Andrew Lanyon, Cornwall, 2003, illustrated p.62. Condition Report: Deckled top edge. A little time staining. Slight discolouration to the extreme edges. Light handling creases to the corners. Faint dirty marks and smudges. A dark blue fingerprint in the upper right corner. A slight vertical undulation to the centre of the sheet.
▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) 'Clevedon Study No. II', 1964 pencil, with stamped signature 'Lanyon' l.r. 40.5 x 50.5cm, unframed Provenance: With Beaux Arts, Bath; Christie's, London, '20th Century British Art', 4 June 2004, lot 119; the property of a private collector. Exhibited: Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, 'Peter Lanyon: Clevedon - Drawings, Gouaches and Paintings 1964', October - November 1970, catalogue no. 3. This exhibition toured to Leeds, Park Square Gallery, January 1971. Condition Report: Mount: 57 x 66cm Executed on thin paper. Light time staining with a border of discolouration around the edges. Affixed to the mount with small pieces of tape applied to the corners verso. A little extrememly faint smudging, however presents well overall. There is writing on the reverse of the sheet which shows through in the upper left corner.
▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) 'Drawing for St Just' signed 'Peter Lanyon', inscribed with title and dated '1952' verso, pencil 35.5 x 26cm Provenance: Martin Lanyon; the property of a private collector. Exhibited: Whitworth Art Gallery, 'Peter Lanyon: Paintings, Drawings and Constructions' touring exhibition, 1978, catalogue no. 50, illustrated p.27, fig.23; Southbank Centre, London, in collaboration with Camden Arts Centre, London, 'Peter Lanyon: Air, Land and Sea', Arts Council touring exhibition, 1992, catalogue no. 10; Tate, St Ives, 'Peter Lanyon Coastal Journey', 2000. Literature: Andrew Causey, 'Peter Lanyon: Modernism and the Land', 2006. Condition Report: Framed: 53 x 42cm A diagonal crease to the top left corner. A little time staining with a few small white scattered speckles. Faint smudging. Minor handling creases in the lower right corner. Well presented and ready to hang.
▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) Composition with horse and boat signed and dated 'Peter Lanyon 49' l.l., traced slate monotype, printed in dark blue, with pencil, pen and ink and gouache 64 x 49.5cm Provenance: Bonhams, Knightsbridge, 'Modern Prints and the St Ives School', 25 May 2010, lot 18; the property of a private collector. Lots 9 and 10 are rare and significant works by Peter Lanyon, showcasing his experimental approach to artistic production. We see this in the inclusion of mixed media within the printing process, as well as additions of pencil, ink and gouache. The imagery of the horse in a landscape can be linked to the large linocuts 'Red Horse, Red Boat', 1951, and 'The Returned Seaman', 1949, as well as the painting 'The Yellow Runner', 1946. In our compositions, the eye is led to the horse - a monumental beast embedded against the dramatic Cornish landscape. The prints are abstract in composition with multiple perspectives of the coastal hillside blurring organic and architectural forms as one. An echo perhaps of the impact of the local mining industry. Condition Report: Framed: 75 x 88cm Time staining with spots of foxing starting to emerge in places. Pinholes to corners with brown staining around. Discolouration to left edge. There is a faint brown area in the upper right quarter with a smaller patch of brown at the top of the right edge, please refer to illustration. Both have the appearance of watercolour/ wash with some age, however it is unclear if this was executed by the artist. Not viewed out of glazed frame.
▲ Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) Composition with horse and boat monotype, linocut, woodcut and wash, stamped 'Lanyon', with later inscription and date 'c.1951' verso sheet 45 x 71cm, unframed Provenance: Purchased from Andrew Lanyon in 2010 by Paul Vibert, St Ives, Cornwall; the property of a private collector. Lots 9 and 10 are rare and significant works by Peter Lanyon, showcasing his experimental approach to artistic production. We see this in the inclusion of mixed media within the printing process, as well as additions of pencil, ink and gouache. The imagery of the horse in a landscape can be linked to the large linocuts 'Red Horse, Red Boat', 1951, and 'The Returned Seaman', 1949, as well as the painting 'The Yellow Runner', 1946. In our compositions, the eye is led to the horse - a monumental beast embedded against the dramatic Cornish landscape. The prints are abstract in composition with multiple perspectives of the coastal hillside blurring organic and architectural forms as one. An echo perhaps of the impact of the local mining industry. Condition Report: Time staining and foxing. Diagonal fold marks in the lower corners. Crease marks in the centre of the top edge. A line of discolouration at the top of the left edge. Deckled edges. The right edge has been torn unevenly. Two small areas of abrasion to the left of the horse's rear in the lower left quarter. Pin holes in top corners.
Lanyon (Andrew). Peter Lanyon 1918-1964, 1990 Lanyon (Andrew). Peter Lanyon 1918-1964, Newlyn: Andrew Lanyon, 1990, numerous tipped-in colour plates, monochrome illustrations, printed on handmade paper, original plain black cloth in dustwrapper, with green cloth slipcase, large 8vo QTY: (1) NOTE: Signed limited edition, 373/500 copies.
† Peter Lanyon (British 1918-1964) Judy incised signature and date 'Lanyon / 54' (lower right), signed, dated and titled 'JUDY/Peter Lanyon/CORSHAM 1954' (verso), further signed and inscribed with artist's address (on label verso) oil on board image 68 x 42 cm, framed and glazed, 92 x 68 cm Provenance: Anon. sale, Christie's, London, 19 November 2004, lot 168. With Richard Green Gallery, stock number SP 3858 MS. With Offer Waterman & Co. Private collection, UK. Exhibited: London, Gimpel Fils, Peter Lanyon, March 1954, no. 60. Plymouth, City Art Gallery, Peter Lanyon, May 1955, no. 20: this exhibition toured to Nottingham, Midland Group Gallery. Literature: A. Causey, Peter Lanyon, Henley-on-Thames, 1971, p. 50, no. 60. C. Stephens, Peter Lanyon At the edge of landscape, London, 2000, p. 125. Footnote: Stephens discusses Lanyon’s Judy as an expression of how his sexual encounters and experience of the landscape were one and the same. The nude and the landscape are barely distinguishable from each other, understandable when we consider many of his experiences of place were shared with his mistress¹. In this context, Judy Jackson, an early partner and former student becomes a ‘nude-landscape’, where “limbs and body seem articulated in terms of the Cornish field-patterns”². Although it appears that “the landscape seems to have got the better of the girl”³, Lanyon’s practice of building picture atop picture, demonstrates how his sexual encounters and experience of the landscape coexist, both directly informing the experience of the other. ¹Stephens p.125. ²Exhibition catalogue, Peter Lanyon air, land & sea, London, Camden Arts Centre, 1992, pp. 12-5. ³Exhibition catalogue, Peter Lanyon air, land & sea, London, Camden Arts Centre, 1992, pp. 12-5.
Peter Lanyon, British 1918–1964 - Mine Drawing, 1954; charcoal on paper, inscription lower left (covered by mount), 24.6 x 34.5 cm (ARR) Provenance: Newlyn Art Gallery, Penzance (according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame); The New Craftsman Gallery, St Ives; The Collection of Mollie and Graham Dark, purchased from the above Literature: Andrew Lanyon, Peter Lanyon and William Feaver (intro.), 'Cornwall', Alison Hodge, Penzance, 1983, illus. p.54 Exhibited: The British Council, London, 'Cornwall', cat. no.21 (according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame) This charcoal drawing embraces Cornwall as the land D.H Lawrence described to be ‘bare and dark and elemental.’ The free lines and interlocking forms show the influence of Ben Nicholson’s teaching on his work. As a drawing focusing solely on the architectural stature of the ruined mines, he recalls the mine drawings produced by his contemporary John Piper C.H. Peter Lanyon studied under Borlase Smart, but came under the direct influence of Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo and Ben Nicholson after moving to St Ives in 1939. As a painter of landscapes that tended heavily to abstraction, his body of work is some of the most original and important reappraisals of modernism in painting. Held in acclaim amongst the pivotal artists that emerged in post-war Britain, his work was honoured in a large-scale retrospective between 2010 and 2011 in Tate St Ives.
Peter Lanyon, British 1918–1964 - Study for Mullion Bay II, 1954; charcoal and pencil on paper, 28.3 x 22.8 cm (ARR) Provenance: Newlyn Art Gallery, Penzance (according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame); The New Craftsman Gallery, St Ives; The Collection of Mollie and Graham Dark, purchased from the above Literature: Andrew Lanyon, Peter Lanyon and William Feaver (intro.), 'Cornwall', Alison Hodge, Penzance, 1983, illus. p.66 Exhibited: The British Council, London, 'Cornwall', cat. no.21 according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame) Peter Lanyon studied under Borlase Smart, but came under the direct influence of Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo and Ben Nicholson after moving to St Ives in 1939. As a painter of landscapes that tended heavily to abstraction, his body of work is some of the most original and important reappraisals of modernism in painting. Held in acclaim amongst the pivotal artists that emerged in post-war Britain, his work was honoured in a large-scale retrospective between 2010 and 2011 in Tate St Ives.
Peter Lanyon, British 1918-1964 - Study for Porthleven, 1950; charcoal and wash on paper, with studio stamp upper right 'The Attic Studio St Ives', 54 x 40 cm (ARR) Provenance: with Gimpel Fils, London (according to the partial label on the reverse of the frame); Paul Feiler, purchased directly from the artist; The Collection of Mollie and Graham Dark, purchased from the above Note: this was produced as part of his preparatory work before painting the ‘experimental landscape’ Porthleven, 1951, now displayed in Tate St Ives. Lanyon's finished piece captures the fishing town from multiple perspectives, and this study demonstrates the importance of Lanyon’s drawings as a means to translate his real experiences onto the canvas. The amalgamation of harsh charcoal lines teeter towards abstraction, yet retain his personal sense of observation by lingering on details such as the ‘LADIES’ sign on the right edge of the paper. Peter Lanyon studied under Borlase Smart, but came under the direct influence of Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo and Ben Nicholson after moving to St Ives in 1939. As a painter of landscapes that tended heavily to abstraction, his body of work is some of the most original and important reappraisals of modernism in painting. Held in acclaim amongst the pivotal artists that emerged in post-war Britain, his work was honoured in a large-scale retrospective between 2010 and 2011 in Tate St Ives. Mollie (1928-2024) and Graham Dark (1930-2015) were pivotal figures in Cornwall, becoming close friends with a number of the most important artists associated with post-war St. Ives and collecting and carefully curating a wonderful body of their artworks. Roseberys are honoured to be selling works from this collection, featuring many of their key artists including Peter Lanyon, Paul Feiler and their close friend Terry Frost. This follows the sales at Sotheby’s featuring a ‘A Life with Art: The Collection of Mollie and Graham Dark’ in the Modern British Evening sale on 14th November and Day sale on 15th November 2024, which includes pieces by these artists as well as a major work by Ivon Hitchens. The pair met and married in the late 1970s, before moving to Cornwall in 1980. As they got to know the artists, they would often purchase artworks directly from them as well as from their friend, William Desmond, one of the co-founders of the gallery Austin/Desmond Fine Art. This gallery was pivotal in reviving international interest in the St. Ives School in the late 20th century and the Darks were instrumental in introducing both Paul Feiler and Terry Frost to the gallery. Highlights of the works on sale are the present work, originally owned by Paul Feiler, and Terry Frost’s ‘Untitled (Blue, Black and Grey), 1959’, as well as works by Nicolas de Staël, Patrick Heyman and Kate Nicholson.
Peter Lanyon, British 1918-1964 - Olives at Brindisi, 1945; gouache, pencil and monotype on paper, signed and dated lower right 'Peter Lanyon 45', signed, titled, dated and inscribed on the reverse 'Peter Lanyon olives at Brindisi 1945', 23 by 15cm (ARR) Provenance: Eric Estorick, London (according to the inscription on the reverse); David Lay, Penzance (by repute); The Collection of Mollie and Graham Dark Note: painted during his time stationed in Italy as an Aero Engineer, the scratchy appearance of the brushstrokes offer a hastily painted snapshot of his post here. Small bunches of red flowers stretch up from the bottom of the canvas, reminiscent of poppies which remain a poignant symbol of remembrance and the immense loss of life incurred in the First and Second World War. Peter Lanyon studied under Borlase Smart, but came under the direct influence of Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo and Ben Nicholson after moving to St Ives in 1939. As a painter of landscapes that tended heavily to abstraction, his body of work is some of the most original and important reappraisals of modernism in painting. Held in acclaim amongst the pivotal artists that emerged in post-war Britain, his work was honoured in a large-scale retrospective between 2010 and 2011 in Tate St Ives.
§ PETER LANYON (BRITISH, 1918-1964) PETER LANYON (BRITISH, 1918-1964) Marino titled 'Marino' (lower centre) watercolour, gouache, pencil, charcoal and crayon 50 x 34 cm. (20 x 13 1/4 in.) Executed in January 1953 Provenance The artist Margaret Melis (1914-2009) Private Collection, U.K., from whom acquired by the present owner âIt is impossible for me to make a painting which has no reference to the very powerful environment in which I liveâ - Peter Lanyon Peter Lanyon, born in St Ives, was deeply rooted in the landscape that surrounded him, a constant source of inspiration throughout his career. After studying at Penzance School of Art and briefly at the Euston Road School, Lanyon served in the RAF during the war and co-founded the Crypt Group in St Ives. His time teaching at the Bath Academy of Art from 1950 to 1957 helped shape his development as an artist. His work was profoundly influenced by the British artist Ben Nicholson and Russian constructivist Naum Gabo, both of whom settled in St Ives. Despite its remote location, St Ives became a vibrant hub for artists and intellectuals, playing a pivotal role in the evolution of British art. Lanyonâs paintings drew on the life, industry, and rugged beauty of Cornwall, especially the regionâs fishing and farming communities, with his early works rooted in strong, recognizable subject matter. Over time, his style became freer and more gestural, yet his connection to the landscape remained intact. Inspired by the American abstract expressionists and the landscape he loved, Lanyon's passion for gliding gave him new aerial perspectives of the coast, which enriched his later, more abstract works. Tragically, his pursuit of flight led to his untimely death in a gliding accident in 1964, cutting short the life of one of Britainâs most innovative and dynamic painters. Lanyon first travelled to Italy in December 1943, where he served as a flight mechanic in the RAF. His deployment lasted two years, during which he learned Italian and explored the southern provinces, creating drawings, paintings, and constructions. He came to view Italy as his spiritual home, a bond that influenced some of his finest works. Lanyonâs first visit to Italy after the war was in 1950, when he returned with his wife. In 1953, the year the present work was created, he spent four months in Italy on a scholarship from the Italian government. That same year, he was elected to the Newlyn Society of Artists (NSA). In 1954, he received the Critic's Prize from the British section of the International Association of Art Critics.
Peter Lanyon (British 1918-1964) Judy † incised signature and date 'Lanyon / 54' (lower right), signed, dated and titled 'JUDY/Peter Lanyon/CORSHAM 1954' (verso), further signed and inscribed with artist's address (on label verso), oil on board, image 68 x 42 cm, framed and glazed, 92 x 68 cm Provenance Anon. sale, Christie's, London, 19 November 2004, lot 168. With Richard Green Gallery, stock number SP 3858 MS. With Offer Waterman & Co. Private collection, UK. Exhibited London, Gimpel Fils, Peter Lanyon, March 1954, no. 60. Plymouth, City Art Gallery, Peter Lanyon, May 1955, no. 20: this exhibition toured to Nottingham, Midland Group Gallery. Literature A. Causey, Peter Lanyon, Henley-on-Thames, 1971, p. 50, no. 60. C. Stephens, Peter Lanyon At the edge of landscape, London, 2000, p. 125. Footnote Stephens discusses Lanyon’s Judy as an expression of how his sexual encounters and experience of the landscape were one and the same. The nude and the landscape are barely distinguishable from each other, understandable when we consider many of his experiences of place were shared with his mistress¹. In this context, Judy Jackson, an early partner and former student becomes a ‘nude-landscape’, where “limbs and body seem articulated in terms of the Cornish field-patterns”². Although it appears that “the landscape seems to have got the better of the girl”³, Lanyon’s practice of building picture atop picture, demonstrates how his sexual encounters and experience of the landscape coexist, both directly informing the experience of the other. ¹Stephens p.125. ²Exhibition catalogue, Peter Lanyon air, land & sea, London, Camden Arts Centre, 1992, pp. 12-5. ³Exhibition catalogue, Peter Lanyon air, land & sea, London, Camden Arts Centre, 1992, pp. 12-5.
Peter Lanyon 1918 - 1964 Texan Highway signed Lanyon and dated 63 (lower right) ink, gouache and pastel on paper unframed (window): 77 by 56cm.; 30¼ by 22in. framed: 99.5 by 77cm.; 39¼ by 30¼in. Executed in 1963. We are grateful to Martin Lanyon for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.
Property of a European Collector Peter Lanyon 1918 - 1964 Gunwalloe, Church Cove signed Lanyon, titled and inscribed 58/62 (on the reverse) oil on canvas unframed: 152 by 183.5cm.; 59¾ by 72¼in. framed: 162 by 192.5cm.; 63¾ by 75¾in. Executed in 1961-63. We are grateful to Martin Lanyon for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.
A Life With Art: The Collection of Mollie and Graham Dark Peter Lanyon 1918 - 1964 Levant Zawn signed Lanyon and dated 53 (lower right) oil on board unframed: 85 by 68cm.; 33½ by 26¾in. framed: 100.5 by 84cm.; 39½ by 33in. Executed in 1953. We are grateful to Martin Lanyon for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.
Peter Lanyon (English, 1918-1964) Untitled 1954 Mixed media on unstretched canvas Signed lower right 'P Lanyon 54' Inscribed verso 'Lanyon 54' With Waddington Stencil verso 'The Waddington Gallery/11 Cork Street/W1S 3LT' With Sotheby's inscription verso 'Sotheby's 321' With stencil verso 'Prepared by C Roberson & Co Ltd, London NW1/118' Dimensions: 36 in. (H) x24 (W)
Lanyon (Peter, 1918-1964). Nude, study for Europa, circa 1954 AR * Lanyon (Peter, 1918-1964). Nude, study for Europa, suggested circa 1954, gouache on brown parcel paper, laid down on board, signed lower center, laid paper has some ruckling, paper loss and folds, aperture measures 48 x 32 cm (18 4/5 x 12 3/4 ins), framed and glazed (60.5 x 44.5 cm) QTY: (1) NOTE: Provenance: Private Collection, Oxfordshire. A preparatory study for Lanyon's painting Europa of 1954, in which the artist explored the idea of land and sea as female and male elements.
λ PETER LANYON (BRITISH 1918-1964)IN STONE Ink, watercolour, crayon and charcoal Signed, titled and dated 1963 (to backboard verso)25 x 24.5cm (9¾ x 9½ in.)
Peter Lanyon (British, 1918-1964) Untitled (Tall Narrow Landscape) bears studio stamp (lower right); bears a further studio stamp (on the backboard) gouache 32.1 x 8.6 cm. (12 5/8 x 3 3/8 in.) Executed circa 1959
Peter Lanyon 1918 - 1964 Arrest of Hero Naples signed Peter Lanyon, titled and dated 1945 (on the reverse) pencil and oil pastel on paper unframed (sheet): 20.5 by 25.5cm.; 8 by 10in. framed: 37 by 41cm.; 14½ by 16in. Executed in 1945. We would like to thank Martin Lanyon for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present lot.
Peter Lanyon 1918 - 1964 Chair in Naples signed Peter Lanyon, signed again with initials and dated /45 (lower right) pencil and pen and ink on paper unframed (sheet): 29 by 23cm.; 11½ by 9in. framed: 43.5 by 36cm.; 17 by 14in. Executed in 1945. We would like to thank Martin Lanyon for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present lot.
Property from a Private Collection, UK Peter Lanyon 1918 - 1964 Untitled (Study for Mural) pencil and oil on board unframed: 4.5 by 46cm., 1¾ by 18in. framed: 8.5 by 50cm.; 3¼ by 19¾in. Executed in 1962. We would like to thank Martin Lanyon for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present lot.
Peter Lanyon (British, 1918-1964) Constructivist Design stamped with signature 'Lanyon' (lower right) ball-point pen, chalk and coloured pencil on tracing paper 24 x 19cm (9 7/16 x 7 1/2in).
Peter Lanyon (British, 1918-1964) A Postcard of Penzance inscribed 'A happy New Year/conversion of P.Z. to look like Italian/Hill town.' (on card verso) acrylic on a printed base 9 x 14cm (3 9/16 x 5 1/2in).
Peter Lanyon (British, 1918-1964) Untitled (Farmhouse) oil on panel 32 x 39.5cm (12 5/8 x 15 9/16in). Painted circa 1936 with a further oil on panel, Untitled (Bare Trees), painted in 1939, on the reverse, by the same hand
λ PETER LANYON (BRITISH 1918-1964)IN STONE Ink, watercolour, crayon and charcoal Signed, titled and dated 1963 (to backboard verso)25 x 24.5cm (9¾ x 9½ in.)
Peter Lanyon (1918-1964) A Landscape of Stone Leaves Screenprint and linocut in colours,1952, scratch signed, dated and numbered from the edition of 20, titled in pencil verso, on wove paper, with full margins, sheet 370 x 560mm (14 1/2 x 22in) This lot is sold subject to Artists Resale Rights, details of which can be found in our Terms and Conditions.
Lot 97 Peter Lanyon English (1918-1964) Beach (1961) mixed media on paper signed upper right and verso sheet: 22 3/4 x 31 inches unframed Provenance: From a Connecticut Collection
Peter Lanyon (British, 1918-1964) (Untitled) Cane Chair Screenprint in colours, circa 1954, on wove paper, signed and numbered 1/11 in pencil (there were also two or three artist's proofs), printed by the artist, the full sheet, framed Sheet 500 x 362mm (19 3/4 x 14 1/4in)
Peter Lanyon (British, 1918-1964) Still Air signed and dated 'Lanyon 61' (lower left); further signed, titled and dated again 'STILL AIR/Lanyon Sept 61' (verso) oil on canvas 91.1 x 122 cm. (35 7/8 x 48 in.)
Peter Lanyon 1918 - 1964 Untitled (Alsia Mill) signed Lanyon (lower right) oil on canvas unframed: 63.5 by 76.5cm.; 25 by 30¼in. framed: 75.5 by 88.5cm.; 29¾ by 34¾in. Executed circa 1936.
Peter Lanyon 1918 - 1964 Untitled (Cottages and Iron Gate) signed Lanyon (lower right) oil on canvas unframed: 63 by 76cm.; 24¾ by 30in. framed: 75.5 by 88.5cm.; 29¾ by 34¾in. Executed in 1936.
