Lot 888 , Roy Abell (1931-) Cliffs, c.1973-5, 14 x 18in.
Roy Abell (1931-)
oil on canvas,
Cliffs, c.1973-5,
Exhibited RBSA Galleries of Birmingham 1975,
14 x 18in.
Estimate £120-180
Thickly painted oil on canvas which has a very slight outward bow at the centre, some lines of craquelure running through the paint, one horizontally alongside the top stretcher mark, the other a star crack in the bluest area of the clouds, no other faults noted, picture looks fairly clean but may benefit from a further treatment, signed lower right, housed in the original silvered wood and fabric lined frame. Original artist label verso with the title and dating c.1973-5, further inscribed Purchased by Dennis Farr May 1975.
Dennis Farr, museum curator and art historian was an outstanding propagandist for 20th century British art. He trained under Anthony Blunt, wrote his MA dissertation on William Etty and subsequently published a full catalogue (William Etty, 1958)
His career began as Assistant Keeper at the Tate Gallery where he was involved in the Duncan Grant retrospective, the 'Romantic Movement' exhibition and wrote two books; Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture (1964) and British Sculpture Since 1945 (1965). He went on to work at the Paul Mellon Collection in Washington, Glasgow University and as Director of the Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery.
He served as a JP, was appointed CBE in 1991 and remained unique in having been both President of the Museums Association and Chairman of the Association of Art Historians. Alongside his administrative roles he engaged in research, producing numerous works including a volume in the Oxford History of English Art series; English Art 1870-1940 (1978) as well as his book on the sculptor Lynn Chadwick (Lynn Chadwick: sculpture, 1990, written with Eva Chadwick).
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Unsold