'Grey, Black and White', 1959
signed 'W. Scott' l.r., gouache, watercolour and collage
48 x 66cm, unframed
Provenance: With Hanover Gallery, London, 1960;
Mr and Mrs P Wakefield;
Sotheby's, London, 1 October 1997, lot 265;
the property of a private collector.
William Scott’s 'Grey, Black and White', 1959, exemplifies his distinct approach to abstraction - balancing restraint with expressive energy. While often associated with simplicity, his late 1950s and 1960s works embraced texture, layering and gestural application. He experimented with contrasts - thick and thin paint, smooth and rough surfaces - allowing imperfections to become part of the composition.
In this piece, Scott abandons defining outlines, letting forms emerge organically. Muted tones of black, grey, brown, and off-white create a quiet tension, while his raw, unfinished surface reflects his belief in 'the beauty of the thing done badly'. Paint is pushed, scraped and layered, revealing his process and rejecting a polished aesthetic in favour of something more tactile and immediate.
Despite its abstraction, Scott’s work never fully detaches from reality. As he stated, 'I cannot be called non-figurative while I am still interested in the modern magic of space…the things of life'. In 'Grey, Black and White' he captures this ambiguity, hinting at stone walls, landscapes, or familiar objects, while remaining open to interpretation.
The artist's paintings from this period focus as much on the act of painting as the final image. His careful yet spontaneous approach invites viewers to engage with space, texture and form in a way that feels both structured and free. Scott's 'Grey, Black and White' stands as a testament to his mastery of abstraction, where surface and tone create an atmosphere of quiet dynamism and subtle depth.
Reference: Norbert Lynton, 'William Scott', Thames & Hudson Ltd., London, 2004.
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Condition Report
Mount: 73 x 91cm
Presents well overall. A little possible time staining and fading. There are some remnants of paper on the front of the work in the centre of the square in the lower right, possibly the remains of previous collage (?). There is some abrasion to the surface of the paper at the bottom of pale brown collaged rectangle in the upper right quarter. Hinge mounted with two pieces of tape applied to the reverse of the top corners.
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Auction: Modern and Contemporary Art, 15th Apr, 2025
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