Lot 256: George Fullard (1923-1974)

George Fullard (1923-1974)
The Embrace
signed with initials and dated 'GF/49' (lower right)
ink
15½ x 8¾ in. (39.4 x 22.3 cm.)

Purchased by the present owner from the artist's studio, 1974.

'In the 1950s, John Berger recognised that Fullard's work was ''unusually and profoundly personal, yet at the same time unusually observant'' ... Following his earlier support of Fullard's work, in 1984 Berger looked back at the endeavours of a small group of artists, writers, poets and thinkers of the 1950s and commented pointedly: ''By intention, with imagination, and with clumsy anger and dreams of those who see what the privileged ignore, we were close to those without power. None more powerfully and poignantly than George Fullard whose exceptional work still awaits proper recognition'' (G. Whiteley, Assembling the Absurd: The Sculpture of George Fullard, London, 1998, p. 9).
George Fullard was born in 1923 in Sheffield and was arguably one of the most inventive post-war Bristish sculptors of his generation. Between 1937-42 he studied at the Sheffield College of Arts and Crafts. He served in the war in North Africa and Italy between 1942-43 and later between 1945-47 attended the Royal College of Art in both London and Ambleside. From the late 1940s through to the early 1970s, Fullard taught at Brighton School of Art, St. Martin's School of Art, Camberwell, Hammersmith, St. Albans School of Art, Royal College of Art and Chelsea School of Art where he was Head of Sculpture.
He has been exhibited extensively in over 67 exhibitions, most notably the Marlborough New London Gallery (1964), the Natural History Museum (1958), the Tate (1964 & 1965), Royal Academy of Arts (1972 & 1973), Whitechapel Gallery (1981) and the Serpentine Gallery in 1985 and 1995).
Lots 256-260 date from the period between 1959 to 1964 which are considered Fullard's most productive, important and successful years. The year 1961 was a turning point for Fullard, as Gallery One staged a major solo one-man show for him where lot 260 was exhibited.
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.