Bidding on this item has ended.
Frederick Edward McWilliam
PEACE B - BANNER SERIES
Lot 96
Price Realised:
€14,000
Estimate:
€10,000 - €15,000
Frederick Edward McWilliam CBE, RA, HRUA, 1909-1992
PEACE B - BANNER SERIES
Bronze on polished limestone base, 35cm x 28.5cm x 16cm, signed. Edition 4/5.
Exhibited: Gordon Gallery, Derry, 1987, cat. no. 10; Sothebys 1996; Solomon Gallery 1998. ... Read more
Lot 96
Frederick Edward McWilliam
PEACE B - BANNER SERIES
PEACE B - BANNER SERIES
Bronze on polished limestone base, 35cm x 28.5cm x 16cm, signed. Edition 4/5.
Exhibited: Gordon Gallery, Derry, 1987, cat. no. 10; Sothebys 1996; Solomon Gallery 1998. ... Read more
Lot 96
Frederick Edward McWilliam
PEACE B - BANNER SERIES
Estimate:
€10,000 - €15,000
Frederick Edward McWilliam CBE, RA, HRUA, 1909-1992
PEACE B - BANNER SERIES
Bronze on polished limestone base, 35cm x 28.5cm x 16cm, signed. Edition 4/5.
Exhibited: Gordon Gallery, Derry, 1987, cat. no. 10; Sothebys 1996; Solomon Gallery 1998.
Literature: The Sculpture of F.E McWilliam, Denise Ferran & Valerie Holman, Lund Humphries in association with the Henry Moore Foundation, 2012, no. 424, illus, p. 161 and fig. 44, p. 72.
It was inevitable that McWilliam followed his series Women of Belfast with his series of Banners as he responded to events in Northern Ireland, with each series lasting no more than 3 years from the first idea to completion. Out of the carnage of the bombings and murders during the Troubles, grew the Peace People and their ever-increasing number marched through the main towns of Northern Ireland, rallying people to join them in their call for Peace. This group was comprised mainly of women who did not want any other mother to lose their son or daughter. McWilliam, through his friendship with T.P. Flanagans wife, Sheelagh, who like me, had joined the Peace People, designed a Christmas card in 1974, which featured a lone woman, carrying a banner with the word Peace written on it.
The Banners combined McWilliams delight in depicting the female form with his humour in developing the theme beyond the Peace theme to those with a play on words No Broken Province or Up the Grass Roots. The sculptor, from his early childhood in Banbridge, had witnessed vicious sectarian riots, which gave him a lifelong detestation of bigotry in any form and he resolved to leave Northern Ireland as soon as he could.
By 1977, McWilliam had returned to his much more playful series of Legs because he himself was aware that "The things you start a theme with are usually the best at the beginning. After a while a sort of repetition seems to set in" (McWilliam in conversation with Louisa Buck for the Irish Art series, 1983, p.5 Tate Gallery Archive). In these two figures, apparently fighting one another with their Banners, one of which carries the word Peace. McWilliam uses their clothing, including head coverings to give movement and an angular power to the material, and, as always, carefully maintaining the anonymity of the subjects.
Dr Denise Ferran
November 2018
PEACE B - BANNER SERIES
Bronze on polished limestone base, 35cm x 28.5cm x 16cm, signed. Edition 4/5.
Exhibited: Gordon Gallery, Derry, 1987, cat. no. 10; Sothebys 1996; Solomon Gallery 1998.
Literature: The Sculpture of F.E McWilliam, Denise Ferran & Valerie Holman, Lund Humphries in association with the Henry Moore Foundation, 2012, no. 424, illus, p. 161 and fig. 44, p. 72.
It was inevitable that McWilliam followed his series Women of Belfast with his series of Banners as he responded to events in Northern Ireland, with each series lasting no more than 3 years from the first idea to completion. Out of the carnage of the bombings and murders during the Troubles, grew the Peace People and their ever-increasing number marched through the main towns of Northern Ireland, rallying people to join them in their call for Peace. This group was comprised mainly of women who did not want any other mother to lose their son or daughter. McWilliam, through his friendship with T.P. Flanagans wife, Sheelagh, who like me, had joined the Peace People, designed a Christmas card in 1974, which featured a lone woman, carrying a banner with the word Peace written on it.
The Banners combined McWilliams delight in depicting the female form with his humour in developing the theme beyond the Peace theme to those with a play on words No Broken Province or Up the Grass Roots. The sculptor, from his early childhood in Banbridge, had witnessed vicious sectarian riots, which gave him a lifelong detestation of bigotry in any form and he resolved to leave Northern Ireland as soon as he could.
By 1977, McWilliam had returned to his much more playful series of Legs because he himself was aware that "The things you start a theme with are usually the best at the beginning. After a while a sort of repetition seems to set in" (McWilliam in conversation with Louisa Buck for the Irish Art series, 1983, p.5 Tate Gallery Archive). In these two figures, apparently fighting one another with their Banners, one of which carries the word Peace. McWilliam uses their clothing, including head coverings to give movement and an angular power to the material, and, as always, carefully maintaining the anonymity of the subjects.
Dr Denise Ferran
November 2018
- Enquire
- View all lots by this artist
- How bidding works
Please note: You will require a deVeres account in order to bid. Please register via the website. Each lot will close numerically. If there is late bidding the time may be extended which could delay subsequent lots. The lots will start to close from 2.00pm on auction day, closing at 45 second intervals.
PLEASE BID EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
In order to allow rival bidders the opportunity to respond to a late bid the following extensions will apply:
IF A BID IS RECEIVED WITHIN THE FINAL 45 SECONDS OF THE COUNTDOWN THE CLOCK WILL RESET TO 60 SECONDS.
At any point you can leave a maximum bid, representing the highest price you are prepared to pay for a particular lot. Bidding only advances when there is competition from a rival bidder. In that case the system bids on your behalf, only up to the maximum if required. All bids are relayed to you be email, along with notification if you have been outbid.
All maximum bids are confidential and not disclosed. The system will endeavor to purchase the lot for you for the least price. Bids are subject to buyer’s premium of 25% (incl vat), with no additional charges.
In the event of a tied bid, the preference will be given to the bid submitted first. The second bidder will receive immediate notification of being outbid.
PLEASE BID EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
In order to allow rival bidders the opportunity to respond to a late bid the following extensions will apply:
IF A BID IS RECEIVED WITHIN THE FINAL 45 SECONDS OF THE COUNTDOWN THE CLOCK WILL RESET TO 60 SECONDS.
At any point you can leave a maximum bid, representing the highest price you are prepared to pay for a particular lot. Bidding only advances when there is competition from a rival bidder. In that case the system bids on your behalf, only up to the maximum if required. All bids are relayed to you be email, along with notification if you have been outbid.
All maximum bids are confidential and not disclosed. The system will endeavor to purchase the lot for you for the least price. Bids are subject to buyer’s premium of 25% (incl vat), with no additional charges.
In the event of a tied bid, the preference will be given to the bid submitted first. The second bidder will receive immediate notification of being outbid.
Sign-up to our auction alert
Signup for personalised Irish art recommendations, invitations to viewings and auctions, articles and more.