▲ Joe Tilson RA (British, 1928-2023) 'Conjunction 3, Byzantium', 1965

signed and dated 'Joe Tilson 1965' and inscribed with title verso, oil on canvas on wood cut-outs mounted on board, in the artist's original box frame, 45 x 60cm; framed 60 x 75.5cm, With Marlborough Fine Art, London, 1965; Mr and Mrs John O Tomb, by whom gifted to Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, Massachusetts, 1976-2007; Private collection, Europe; Acquired by the previous owner in May 2007; Their sale, Bonhams, London, 25 February 2021, lot 22, where acquired by the present owner. Exhibited: Marlborough New London Gallery, London, 'Joe Tilson', February - March 1966, no. 33, illustrated; Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, Massachusetts, long-term loan, 1976–2007. Literature: A C Quintavalle, 'Tilson', Pre-Art, Milan, 1977, ill. p. 204. One of the founding figures of British Pop Art, Joe Tilson created work that draws from the world of mass media, embracing motifs from advertising and often engaging in the relationship between words and symbols. The present work was painted during his period of living in a property off Kensington High Street, which he occupied between 1959 and 1972. He created a studio in the large terraced house, and it also became a creative hub for the artistic community. He and his wife, the artist Joslyn Morton, would host opening parties and salons for the who's who of the contemporary art and literary worlds. From the mid-1960s, Tilson's works became increasingly sleek and geometric. His earlier pieces had relied heavily on the carpentry techniques he had learned as a teenager, with many embracing a handmade feel and quality, but by the end of the 1960s, he began to embrace a sleeker uniformity which suggests the machine-made, creating pieces that function three-dimensionally as reliefs, with bold graphic patterns. One of the founding figures of British Pop Art, Joe Tilson created work that, draws from the world of mass media, embracing motifs from advertising and, often, engaging, in the re, lationship between words and symbo, ls. The present work was painted during his period of living, in a, property, off, Kensington, High Street, which he occupied between 1959 and 1972. He, created a, stu, dio, in, the, large terraced, house, , and it, also, became, a, creative hub for the artistic community, . H, e and his wife, , the artist Josly, n Mort, o, n, , would, host, opening, parties and, salons, for, the who's who of the contemporary art and literary worlds. F, rom, mid-1960s, Tilson's, works, became, increasingly, sleek and, geometric, . His earlier pieces had relied heavily on the carpentry, techniques, he had learned as a teenager, with many embracing a handmade feel and quality, but, by the end of the 1960s, he began to embrace a, sleeker uniformity which suggest, s, the machine, -made, , c, reating pieces that function three-dimensionally as reliefs, with, bold, graphic, patte, rns, . Condition Report, Condition Report, A little light surface dirt. The blue paint used at the top of the work has some small marks and stains. The blue paint appears a little thin and rubbed in places, please refer to illustration. Minor surface scuffs and scratches with a few tiny specks of loss. The grain of the white board is visible with some fine horizontal cracks starting to emerge. The wooden cut outs appear to be securely attached. A couple of tiny spots of adhesive used to construct the work are visible and have slightly discoloured with age. Not viewed out of the glazed frame. Request A Condition Report, Request A Condition Report

Estimate:£6,000

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