HARRY HOLLAND (BRITISH 1941-) §
MYTHOLOGICAL FRIEZE (DANAË; GANYMEDE; IO; PROMETHEUS & ATALANTA; DIANA & ACTAEON; ICARUS; DAPHNE; THESEUS & ARIADNE) - COMMISSION FOR BERNARD & MIRABEL KELLY, 2002
£6,930
Auction: 15 JANUARY 2025 FROM 10:00 GMT
Description
eight works. each signed, oil on panel in bespoke frames (accompanied by a suite of sample paintings by the artist, submitted for Bernard & Mirabel's approval)
Dimensions
each 155cm x 65cm (61in x 25 ½in) (including frame)
Provenance
Commissioned from the Artist by Bernard & Mirabel Kelly, 2002.
Footnote
1st July 2002
To Bernard & Mirabel
As you and some of your erudite friends will realise, I have taken some liberties with the stories. This is partly because of the demands of the commission – as a design problem of a series of panels they could not be too full of detail and partly because of a desire not to burden your room with the darker side of life. I can only say in justification that liberties are stock in trade for us artists.
I began with the idea of painting the loves of the gods – particularly Zeus who is famous for his interesting and athletic transmogrifications, but some of the designs made me introduce the less amusing condition of hubris and, abandoning the original plan, I put in a couple of mortal legends to balance the whole thing out.
I have enjoyed working on the project, apart form the usual moments of panic and worry that I may not have estimated correctly the effect of the panels on the room they are to hang in. I hope I am right in this and that you enjoy them in the spirit of light-heartedness they are intended to have…
Yours, Harry