PETER LANYON (BRITISH, 1918-1964)

Born in St. Ives, Lanyon strived throughout his career to depict the rugged and dramatic landscape of the Cornish coast.  Much of his later work deals with the artist's reaction to certain environments, in particular the occasionally indeterminate border between sea, sky and land.  It is a concept that also fascinated L.S. Lowry whose coastal subjects often explored the blurring or even disappearance of the horizon.  When confronted with the elements at their most powerful Lanyon '...realises he is seeing an image of his own existence.' (Chris Stephens, Peter Lanyon - At the Edge of Landscape, London, 2000, p.152).   Work from this period tends to have softer tones, reflecting the more lyrical and ethereal subject matter, qualities clearly evident in Cliff Grass.

Condition report

The sheet appears to be adhered to the backboard but undulates slightly; pin holes to the upper and lower right corners; minor discolouration to the upper left border; a few scattered media spots to paint surface otherwise good original condition; framed and under glass, unexamined out of frame.