Joan Eardley | From Glasgow to Catterline

A selection of artworks by the important and prolific, though sadly short-lived, Scottish artist Joan Eardley were offered for sale in the Scottish Paintings & Sculpture auction on 4 June. The offered drawings, sketches and paintings represent key subjects and techniques within Eardley’s extensive oeuvre. Charlotte Riordan, Head of Contemporary Art and a Scottish Paintings specialist, explores Eardley's compelling subjects, both urban and rural.

Sold for £4,250 (premium inclusive).

Eardley was devoted to Glasgow, particularly to the fast-disappearing areas to the east which were being torn down and re-developed. She recognised that the sense of community which

Sold for £30,000 (premium inclusive).

Nothing represented this essence for Eardley more than the local children: “…they are Glasgow – this richness Glasgow has – I hope it will always have – a living thing, an intense quality – you can never know what you are going to do but as long as Glasgow has this I’ll always want to paint.”

Sold for £2,500 (premium inclusive).

Eardley had an attic studio in Townhead at 21 Cochrane Street, now long since demolished. It was extremely basic, consisting only of a large free-standing stove, a cooker, a workbench and sink. It did, however, have a glazed ceiling and outer wall making it perfect for painting. It was here that the majority of her famous depictions of the local street children were painted. Eardley had a particularly strong relationship with the Samson family whose twelve children of various ages all sat for her at one point or another. She had her favourites amongst them – those that would come knocking on her door asking to be painted – and they recur as recognisable characters in her drawings.

Sold for £6,750 (premium inclusive).

Children were not her only subjects, however, and she was also drawn to older sitters; her studies empathetic, respectful and evocative of a sense of pathos. The small work offered here demonstrates Eardley's innate talent for capturing gesture and mannerism, using even the scarcest and simplest of lines.

Sold for £9,375 (premium inclusive).

Eardley first visited the village of Catterline, in the north east of Scotland by chance in 1950. Captivated by the tempestuous sea views offered from its cliff-top vantage point, she ultimately divided her time between Glasgow and Catterline for the rest of her life. She lived and worked in various properties, and became a well-known figure in the village. Eardley continued to paint in all weathers creating the powerful, expressive works that so honestly capture the beauty and brutality of the north-east coastline.

Sold for £3,000 (premium inclusive).

Our next paintings auction is Contemporary & Post-War Art on 13th August 2014.

The deadline for consignments is 30th June. If you have artworks you would like to consign to this sale, please contact Charlotte Riordan | 0131 557 8844 | charlotte.riordan@lyonandturnbull.com

The next Scottish Paintings & Sculpture auction will be in December 2015.

If you are interested in consigning to this sale, please contact Nick Curnow | 0131 557 8844 | nick.curnow@lyonandturnbull.com