Lot 493
NIGEL HENDERSON (1917–1985) AND SIR EDUARDO PAOLOZZI (1924-2005) FOR HAMMER PRINTS LTD.
RARE ‘BARKCLOTH’ TEXTILE PANEL, CIRCA 1954
Decorative Arts: Design since 1860
Auction: 25 October 2017 at 11:00 BST
Description
hand screenprinted on cotton twill, stretched on a frame
Dimensions
190cm x 59cm
Footnote
Provenance: Collection of Andrew McIntosh Patrick
Note: After his return to London from Paris in 1949 Paolozzi started teaching in the textile design department of the Central School of Art and Design. He produced screenprints that were often inspired by organic forms, and paper collages that reveal his interest in the unconscious imagery of abstract expressionism and the torn papers of Kurt Schwitters and Jean Arp. Paolozzi developed textile designs from his collages, which were translated into fabrics by companies such as Horrockses and David Whitehead Ltd. In 1954 he and the artist Nigel Henderson set up Hammer Prints Ltd. to publish screenprinted textiles, ceramics and wallpapers.
The monochromatic textile 'Barkcloth' depicts various images of manmade objects including bicycles, glasses and keys. These are shown in combination with geometric designs of spirals, rough lines and dots. Through this crowded composition Paolozzi sought to convey what he considered to be the frantic and all-consuming nature of modern life.