Gwyneth Johnstone 1914-2010
Farm Scene with Chickens, 1960, circa
oil on board
66 x 78.7 cm
26 x 31 in
26 x 31 in
signed with monogram
The critic Giles Auty once described the ambience of Gwyneth Johnstone’s paintings as feeling as if ‘the clock has stopped forever at four o’clock on a summer afternoon’, which aptly...
The critic Giles Auty once described the ambience of Gwyneth Johnstone’s paintings as feeling as if ‘the clock has stopped forever at four o’clock on a summer afternoon’, which aptly describes the present example, with ebullient oranges and yellows muted by the suggestion of hazy afternoon shadows that seem to cool the bucolic scene. Johnstone’s early artistic development was characterised by a variety of influences and teachers which were at times conflicting, this period culminated with a stint in Paris studying academised cubism under André Lhote. Following these more convoluted beginnings, Johnstone’s true personal style emerged in the 1950s, coinciding with time spent painting alongside Cecil Collins. Always drawn to the Mediterranean which is reflected in her favoured palette of earthy and sunny tones, Johnstone had a home in Ramatuelle, near Tropez and later, a house in Spain, above Benidorm - both locations providing ample subjects and inspiration for her work.
Provenance
Portal Gallery, London1
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