Harold Town
HAROLD TOWN "VANDAL BREAKING STATUE" DRAWING, 1957
Harold Town (1924-1990) remains one of the best-known and most intriguing artists from the "Painters Eleven" group.
Town's reputation was established in the late 1950s with a series of unique prints ("Single Autographic Prints") that included collage elements. In 1956, he represented Canada at the Venice Biennale with these works. Over the following decades, the artist continued to reinvent his aesthetic, regularly changing medium and mood.
While Harold Town is primarily known as one of Canada's leading abstract artists, a sizeable part of his oeuvre is dedicated to representation. He regularly revisits or responds to stories or motifs related to antiquity.
"Vandal Breaking Statue" is a perfect example of his interest in classicism. It radiates conflict and latent violence relating to the change of empire. A man clasps both hands behind his head as he moves towards a statue on the ground with incredible force. The inherent visual seductiveness (and simplicity) of the warriors’ body, along with his searing passion, adds a unique poetic vein. Is this a reference to the Colossus of Constantine? Or simply the ubiquity of decapitated greco-roman sculptures that still exist today?
Remarkably pared down, this drawing offers a look at Town's incredible ability as a draftsman. His confident and stylized linework is bold yet met with an air of restraint, making this work an excellent example of his innate creative intuition.
Today, Town's work is represented in prestigious collections across North America including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), and the Guggenheim (New York).
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"Vandal Breaking Statue"
Canada, 1957
Ink drawing on paper
Signed and dated 20.9.57 by the artist
9"H 12.25"W (work)
16.25"H 19.5"W (framed)
Very good condition.
Provenance: The Estate of Harold Town
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