Artist     Gerald Cains
Title      Broken Chair
Date      1986
object    Painting
Media    oil
Size       91.5 x 71 cm
Ref          755

Purchased from the 134th RWA Annual Exhibition in 1986

Other websites featuring this artist's work
www.rwa.org.uk/memfrm.htm
www.bathsocietyofartists.com

Broken Chair
The weathered deterioration of the wicker chair had steadily become more interesting; in essence a self-arranged still life. Too fragile to move, the artist worked closely and directly from the subject using oil paint. The drawing was an integral part of the underpainting, using as a vehicle turpentine plus Liquin to accelerate drying. At this stage a limited palette was selected of Prussian blue, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, viridian green and alizarin crimson.

The picture was produced in the ‘Alla Prima’ method of direct painting, working from dark tones to light tones. To build up the form and evolve the skeletal nature of the wicker work, small brushes were employed using an impasto. Additional colours were integrated, mainly titanium white, Naples yellow, Venetian red, raw sienna and cadmium red. Due to the detail of the chair, the background of foliage was treated broadly. The areas of green punctuated with complimentary touches of red geranium flowers. The painting was completed in one day.

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