Majorcan Landscape by David Holt (2005)

A large and impressive original oil painting on canvas

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Printing Details

Painted in 2005, this is an oil on canvas in a bespoke wooden frame (it is not glazed). The frame has a light blue ink wash to the facing edge and a deeper blue to the outer edge. The frame measures 78.5 × 78.5cm, with the painting measuring 76 × 76cm.

Signed, titled (Majorcan Landscape) and dated by David Holt to the reverse, both to the frame and the canvas.

An evocative nocturnal composition by David Holt. Moving away from traditional topographical representation, David presents a stylized, near-celestial view of a rugged, textured landmass rising dramatically beneath an ethereal night sky.

The composition is dominated by a dark, mottled mountain or rocky expanse rendered in deep impasto and expressive, dappled brushwork in shades of indigo, violet, charcoal, and muted teal. Above this shadowy topography, the deep blue sky is flanked by two contrasting celestial orbs—a soft pink moon to the upper left and a larger, glowing turquoise sphere to the upper right, lending the piece a distinctly dreamlike, atmospheric quality reminiscent of his speculative and cosmological landscape studies.

Saturated in palette and rich in tactile surface quality, this work showcases David’s characteristic synthesis of landscape structure, geometric balance, and poetic abstraction.

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

The painting is in good plus condition. There is some craqueleur to the dark blue sky paintwork, and three small surface abrasions to the landmass area. Light and moderate wear to the frame from storage and some to the back of the canvas, but overall, this remains an impressive and powerful painting.

Due to weight and size, postage is restricted to the UK though I am happy to investigate overseas mailing.

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