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John
Melville
“Three
Women on the Beach' whilst containing the seeds of the surrealism that
would follow, shows his complex understanding of Picasso - reminiscent
of Picasso's Seated Bather (completed circa 1930) this work exemplifies
Melville's skill, like Picasso's 'astounding ability', to be able to
conflate several images into one.
Three seemingly fearless nudes sit within the image before two boats,
framed by shoreline and sky; it is almost a blueprint for a piece of
sculpture. All three woman lack facial definition, and yet clearly their
faces are present, dropped and re-formed by their shaped arms and
breast. By the same token could not these arms and breast form a
heraldic shield to cover themselves from the prying eye of the viewer?
And then again could they not be representations of the African Tankagle
or Dan mask? One can almost palpably feel in this work Melville's
decision to confront Modernism directly in an effort to develop his
distinct and powerful voice”.
Jeff Jackson
Intorduction to exhibition catalogue – ‘John Melville: A Marvelous
English Artist - A Personal Journey to Surrealism and Beyond’
Back
to Twenty 10 art catalogue |
Three
Women on the Beach
Oil
on board
Circa
1930
75
x 100cm
Provenance:
The Collection of Lucy Carrington Wertheim.
Illustrated
front cover exhibition catalogue:
‘John
Melville: A Marvelous English Artist - A Personal Journey to
Surrealism and Beyond’.
The
Millinery Works Gallery 2006.
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