Again the Hill by David Holt (2003)
An original semi-abstract oil painting, depicting a mythical white-robed figure in a dark and brooding hill
Author
Publisher
Printing Details
Painted in December 2003, this is an oil on canvas in a bespoke wooden frame (it is not glazed). The frame has been washed with a light red colour to complement the painting. The frame measures 55 × 65cm, with the painting measuring 51 × 61cm.
Signed, titled and dated by David Holt to the reverse.
It is titled "Again the Hill" and is a dark and brooding piece. The foreground shows what appears to be a doorway or entrance and standing within is a white robed figure holding a white staff. The figure is surrounded by a large, dark hill and in the background, a red sky hangs heavily, a red streak falls to the right which has grasped the figures attention. The white figure appears as a light in a somewhat sinister setting, and could well be testimony to David's fascination with the mythology and legend of the British Isles, and in particular the presence of geological features such as standing stones and hills.
Provenance: This painting comes directly from the artist's estate, and the work is offered with full provenance.
David Holt (1928–2014). Born in Hythe, Kent. Painter and Lecturer in Art. After National Service, he trained at the Canterbury School of Art, the Hammersmith School of Art and the Royal Academy Schools where he was awarded a medal for drawing and the Knapping Prize. He joined a studio-workshop with Gerald Holtom (designer of the CND symbol) in 1958 where he designed and produced proscenium curtains for schools. In 1958 he was awarded a Harkness Fellowship and travelled across America, producing many drawings and prints of the Pueblo Indians and their life-dance in Santa Fe in New Mexico, where he also worked with artist Agnes Sims. He returned to England in 1960 and continued to paint and work on large textile appliques for schools, churches, and private houses including Spade House in Kent, the former home of H G Wells.
He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1962, and in 1964 was commissioned to design and make a large textile applique 'Christ in Majesty' which still hangs in the chapel of Christ Church College in Canterbury.
He was Head of Art at Canterbury Christ Church University until his retirement in 1995. He exhibited widely in the UK and the States and worked with many art societies and summer schools across East Kent.
His work can be found in both private and public collections throughout the UK and America, including the Yale Centre for British Art. His painting "Coastal Watcher" was recently used for the dustwrapper on Modernism and Memory: Rhoda Pritzker and the Art of Collecting (Yale University Press, 2016).
Condition
Good condition, but there is a 1cm split in the canvas (8.5cm in from the left, 27 cm down from the top) which is really only visible when held against the light. There is also a white scuff to the painting along the top edge to the left hand side. The frame is a little chipped and marked but nevertheless this remains an impressive piece.
Due to weight and size, postage is restricted to the UK though I am happy to investigate overseas mailing. Collection is available from Hythe, Kent (CT21). Please give at least 24 hours notice. [Location: Store].
Books are currently zero-rated for duty, so the price shown is the price you pay.
Price
£100.00
