Where Modernism Meets History

On 27 April, Gildings Auctioneers in Market Harborough will present their Fine and Decorative Arts and Antiques sale. Modern and contemporary British art and sculpture is particularly well represented by names such as Bridget Riley, John Piper and Geoffrey Dashwood. Other categories appearing in the sale include furniture, jewellery, décor and Asian art, creating a well-rounded catalogue with an impressive array of interesting finds.

Geoffrey Dashwood is an artist working out of Hampshire, known for his lifelike bronze sculptures of birds. Barn Owl exemplifies his oeuvre, depicting the sleek raptor perched on a pedestal and peering at the viewer, the dark eyes providing contrast against the patinated bronze body. Dashwood eliminates surface details to create refined, smooth forms that transcend the genre of wildlife art and become contemporary pieces in their own right.

The British painter Colin Hayes travelled widely during his life, first serving with the Royal Engineers in Iceland and Egypt during World War II before exploring Greece, Tibet and India on his own. These exotic locales influenced his style, and Hayes is recognised for the bright colours and strong patterns in his work. Morning – Heraklion Harbour, Crete depicts a row of boats in the small island port, bathed in rosy light against the undifferentiated sea and sky behind them.  

After seeing the Head of the Horse of Selene Parthenon marble at the British Museum, Nic Fiddian-Green was inspired to create equine sculptures of his own. Although his influence is Classical, Fiddian-Green’s creations are strikingly modern. He works from life, and Gentle Horse in the Wind is rough-cut with a dappled, Impressionistic surface reminiscent of Rodin that captures the animal’s dynamic motion.

The British artist John Piper worked in a variety of media during his life, creating prints, photographs and paintings and designing theatre sets, stained glass windows and fabrics. Although he was initially interested in abstraction, he soon turned to naturalism and frequently focused on British landscapes. This pen and ink on paper depicts Ffrwd Fawr Waterfall in Wales, showing the rushing water at a distance to give a sense of the wild landscape’s impressive scale.

Born in London in 1931, Bridget Riley is still recognised today for her singular op-art paintings and her contributions to modern art. She greatly admired Georges Seurat’s Pointillist works, which influenced the careful gradients and tone shifts in her own pieces. Early Light (Schubert 33) blends geometric precision with pure artistry, turning a simple pattern of parallelograms into compelling pools of colour that keep your eye moving across the surface of the painting. 

Sir Alfred James Munnings was a life-long artist, drafting and drawing advertisements at the age of fourteen before attending the Norwich School of Art and later working as a war artist during World War I. Munnings was an outspoken critic of modernism, and his preference for landscapes and rural scenes reflect his traditional tastes. His oil painting View from Selworthy captures the rolling English landscape with loose, expressive brushwork and lightly textured paint that adds depth to the scene. 

The Fine and Decorative Arts and Antiques sale will take place on Thursday 27 April at 10 a.m.. The entire catalogue is available on Gildings’ website, and online, telephone and absentee bids will be accepted.

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