Lot 17 Norah McGuinness STILL LIFE WITH ARTICHOKES

Norah McGuinness HRHA, 1901-1980
STILL LIFE WITH ARTICHOKES
Oil on canvas, 20" x 24" (50.8 x 61cm).

Provenance: Adams, Important Irish Sale in assoc. with Bonham's, Dublin, December 5, 2006, no. 103; Private Collection.

McGuinness was one of the Irish artists, mainly women, who turned towards Europe in the 1930s, bringing back modern ideas about art to a very conservative audience. Her semi-abstract style owes a lot to Cubisms flattened space and underlying geometry, obvious here in Still Life with Artichokes.

Unlike traditional Irish artists working in the first half of the century, McGuinness takes what she observes as a starting point to create a painting that has its own abstract logic and internal rhythms, independent of the seen world. Colours are exaggerated or changed altogether. In this case a vibrant mix of blue-green is juxtaposed with pink and gold, so that the painting sings. McGuinness repeats colours and shapes throughout the composition, giving it an underlying beat or rhythm. This picture is dominated by curves: the jaunty rotation of artichokes is echoed by the basket, the tray, and even the rounded edge of the table. Against this, she sets two strong vertical anchors: the glass and the vase. Shapes are distorted at will, all with the intent of visually enlivening the picture, making these static objects seem to dance! The paintings compact composition fits together with interlocking shapes, having the satisfying effect of feeling just right, with all the parts working in unison.

Dr Frances Ruane HRHA

November 2024