Bidding on this item has ended.
Basil Blackshaw
NIGHT RIDER
Lot 39
Price Realised:
€90,000
Estimate:
€80,000 - €120,000
Basil Blackshaw HRHA RUA, 1932-2016
NIGHT RIDER (2001)
Acrylic on canvas, 60" x 84" (152.5 x 213.5cm), signed and dated Dec. 2001
Provenance: The Eamonn Mallie Collection, purchased directly from the artist; Adams, November 2017 (lot 36); Pri... Read more
Lot 39
Basil Blackshaw
NIGHT RIDER
NIGHT RIDER (2001)
Acrylic on canvas, 60" x 84" (152.5 x 213.5cm), signed and dated Dec. 2001
Provenance: The Eamonn Mallie Collection, purchased directly from the artist; Adams, November 2017 (lot 36); Pri... Read more
Lot 39
Basil Blackshaw
NIGHT RIDER
Estimate:
€80,000 - €120,000
Basil Blackshaw HRHA RUA, 1932-2016
NIGHT RIDER (2001)
Acrylic on canvas, 60" x 84" (152.5 x 213.5cm), signed and dated Dec. 2001
Provenance: The Eamonn Mallie Collection, purchased directly from the artist; Adams, November 2017 (lot 36); Private Collection.
Exhibited: Basil Blackshaw Paintings 2000-2002, The Ulster Museum, December 2002 May 2003, Cat. No. 5; Basil Blackshaw at 80 Retrospective, The FE McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge, May October 2012, The RHA Gallery Dublin January - February 2013, The Gordon Gallery, march 2013, as part of the City of Culture.
Literature: Basil Blackshaw Paintings 2000 2002, Ulster Museum, illustrated p.22; Irish Arts Review Front Cover illustration, Winter 2002, inside article by Brian McAvera, picture illustrated again p.59; 'Basil Blackshaw by Eamonn Mallie, 2003, illustrated Plate 16, p.365; Basil Blackshaw at 80, FE Mc William Gallery,2012, Fig 25; 'Basil at 80', The Gordon Gallery, 2013, illustrated p.25.
It was not uncommon for Basil Blackshaw to carry an image about in his head for over half a century.
He was a consummate romantic, passionate about everything about which he was passionate - women, horses, dogs, markets people, edge of the town people, travellers, horse racing, boxing, cockfighting, 'rare characters,' the craic, politics, poetry, the countryside, giving to the poor and so on.
Among his favourite 'Pictures' in the cinema were Westerns and he loved cowboy novels when he was young. Enter 'Night Rider' from Blackshaw's fantasy world. More often than not his images were of himself playing out his fantasy. He worked and owned horses all his life. Such is the control of the rider in 'Night Rider' here that we know Basil is in charge. 'Night Rider' fits into what would be his 'late period' - always returning to earlier themes and subjects but much more psychological in interpretation. The rider's eyes speak volumes about his character ... he emits danger signals. He is 'a down looking thief' who would not take prisoners. One senses a gun is but one hand movement away.
What is remarkable about this work is Blackshaw's choice of colours. They convey a sense of menace. My recollection of Westerns way in the distant past is one of the sound of distant drums, the pounding of horses' hooves on sun drenched plains above deep river sunlit valleys. We are however dealing with Blackshaw here - the art delinquent - the re-maker of images seeking out the otherness of an event or happening. One can image the muscularity which the artist brought to this large painting. I can still see him stabbing the canvas with a lick of paint - retreating only to attack another area with the same brio. This was war on a canvas.
Blackshaw often compared his picture making to boxing - throwing punches, stepping back, all the time ducking, diving and contorting his wiry frame in pursuit of his dream in paint. My own experience of sitting for my portrait bore testimony to this extraordinary ritual of picture making by Blackshaw.
As to the presence of the large yellow cross-like mark to the left of the canvas - Blackshaw regularly explained to me the composition needed that mark to give the work balance. "The painting wouldn't be right without that mark" he protested. Blackshaw's Spanish contemporary - Tapiès regularly uses a cross-mark too, in his oeuvre. I can't help thinking that that 'cross' notation invokes the notion of death. Blackshaw unashamedly claimed "I steal ideas from good artists and bad artists but what you do with the theft is what matters."
He asked me to establish if it would be possible to get a look at a large collection of Lucian Freuds on this island. I managed to arrange this. Observing Blackshaw scrutinising the Freuds was instructive. I thought he was going to lick the canvasses. He appeared to be in a trance, his eyes fixed on every square inch of the paintings. A year or two after the execution of 'Night Rider' Blackshaw told me "do you see that grey triangle of paint on the side of the horse's neck - I stole that idea from one of Freud's paintings that morning you took me to see the works."
It was what he did with the theft that mattered. It helped him resolve a problem.
Eamonn Mallie.
NIGHT RIDER (2001)
Acrylic on canvas, 60" x 84" (152.5 x 213.5cm), signed and dated Dec. 2001
Provenance: The Eamonn Mallie Collection, purchased directly from the artist; Adams, November 2017 (lot 36); Private Collection.
Exhibited: Basil Blackshaw Paintings 2000-2002, The Ulster Museum, December 2002 May 2003, Cat. No. 5; Basil Blackshaw at 80 Retrospective, The FE McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge, May October 2012, The RHA Gallery Dublin January - February 2013, The Gordon Gallery, march 2013, as part of the City of Culture.
Literature: Basil Blackshaw Paintings 2000 2002, Ulster Museum, illustrated p.22; Irish Arts Review Front Cover illustration, Winter 2002, inside article by Brian McAvera, picture illustrated again p.59; 'Basil Blackshaw by Eamonn Mallie, 2003, illustrated Plate 16, p.365; Basil Blackshaw at 80, FE Mc William Gallery,2012, Fig 25; 'Basil at 80', The Gordon Gallery, 2013, illustrated p.25.
It was not uncommon for Basil Blackshaw to carry an image about in his head for over half a century.
He was a consummate romantic, passionate about everything about which he was passionate - women, horses, dogs, markets people, edge of the town people, travellers, horse racing, boxing, cockfighting, 'rare characters,' the craic, politics, poetry, the countryside, giving to the poor and so on.
Among his favourite 'Pictures' in the cinema were Westerns and he loved cowboy novels when he was young. Enter 'Night Rider' from Blackshaw's fantasy world. More often than not his images were of himself playing out his fantasy. He worked and owned horses all his life. Such is the control of the rider in 'Night Rider' here that we know Basil is in charge. 'Night Rider' fits into what would be his 'late period' - always returning to earlier themes and subjects but much more psychological in interpretation. The rider's eyes speak volumes about his character ... he emits danger signals. He is 'a down looking thief' who would not take prisoners. One senses a gun is but one hand movement away.
What is remarkable about this work is Blackshaw's choice of colours. They convey a sense of menace. My recollection of Westerns way in the distant past is one of the sound of distant drums, the pounding of horses' hooves on sun drenched plains above deep river sunlit valleys. We are however dealing with Blackshaw here - the art delinquent - the re-maker of images seeking out the otherness of an event or happening. One can image the muscularity which the artist brought to this large painting. I can still see him stabbing the canvas with a lick of paint - retreating only to attack another area with the same brio. This was war on a canvas.
Blackshaw often compared his picture making to boxing - throwing punches, stepping back, all the time ducking, diving and contorting his wiry frame in pursuit of his dream in paint. My own experience of sitting for my portrait bore testimony to this extraordinary ritual of picture making by Blackshaw.
As to the presence of the large yellow cross-like mark to the left of the canvas - Blackshaw regularly explained to me the composition needed that mark to give the work balance. "The painting wouldn't be right without that mark" he protested. Blackshaw's Spanish contemporary - Tapiès regularly uses a cross-mark too, in his oeuvre. I can't help thinking that that 'cross' notation invokes the notion of death. Blackshaw unashamedly claimed "I steal ideas from good artists and bad artists but what you do with the theft is what matters."
He asked me to establish if it would be possible to get a look at a large collection of Lucian Freuds on this island. I managed to arrange this. Observing Blackshaw scrutinising the Freuds was instructive. I thought he was going to lick the canvasses. He appeared to be in a trance, his eyes fixed on every square inch of the paintings. A year or two after the execution of 'Night Rider' Blackshaw told me "do you see that grey triangle of paint on the side of the horse's neck - I stole that idea from one of Freud's paintings that morning you took me to see the works."
It was what he did with the theft that mattered. It helped him resolve a problem.
Eamonn Mallie.
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All maximum bids are confidential and not disclosed. The system will endeavor to purchase the lot for you for the least price. Bids are subject to buyer’s premium of 25% (incl vat), with no additional charges.
In the event of a tied bid, the preference will be given to the bid submitted first. The second bidder will receive immediate notification of being outbid.
PLEASE BID EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
In order to allow rival bidders the opportunity to respond to a late bid the following extensions will apply:
IF A BID IS RECEIVED WITHIN THE FINAL 45 SECONDS OF THE COUNTDOWN THE CLOCK WILL RESET TO 60 SECONDS.
At any point you can leave a maximum bid, representing the highest price you are prepared to pay for a particular lot. Bidding only advances when there is competition from a rival bidder. In that case the system bids on your behalf, only up to the maximum if required. All bids are relayed to you be email, along with notification if you have been outbid.
All maximum bids are confidential and not disclosed. The system will endeavor to purchase the lot for you for the least price. Bids are subject to buyer’s premium of 25% (incl vat), with no additional charges.
In the event of a tied bid, the preference will be given to the bid submitted first. The second bidder will receive immediate notification of being outbid.
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