A large, signed oil on canvas by John Bratby RA. Entitled "Sunflowers" and dated 1979, it depicts the sunflowers that were growing at his home at the time.
At 37" x 50" it is a bold and exuberant work. It is painted in Bratby's trademark thick impasto.
It is accompanied by a photocopy of a letter describing the process of making this picture. The letter, dated 28 June 1980, reads:
"(...)The picture of Sunflowers was made in the autumn of last year. I only managed to grow two decent sunflowers and worked from these repeatedly, working very hard indeed against time, endeavouring to record them before they wilted. Properly treated they do last a long time indoors, and large ones in the interior seem like majestic looming human presences. I worked day and night on these paintings. It was ten years ago when I last painted pictures of sunflowers. To do so one needs to have a garden by one's studio, for the communion with the earth that results inspires with naturalness the floral images one produces. For the decade I lived without a garden, or in a second floor flat in Hove, or in a first floor flat in Camberwell, or in a proletarian house in Leytonstone. Now I live in my huge white castle on a hill, overlooking the sea and rising from 3 gardens."
Recently reframed and ready to hang, it is in excellent condition.
