2nd Jun, 2018 10:00
Design at Home
A 1960s Elizabeth Allen naive or folk art 'Lunar-Ticks' Picnic' felt and fabric appliqué or patchwork picture, showing four dinosaur-like beasts standing around a cooking pot suspended over a fire on a frame, outside huts or caves, with sequin and silver foil thread details, framed and glazed, the back with paper exhibition label for an exhibition in March 1966 at The Crane Kalman Gallery, Brompton Road, London, and with a hand-written label with the title of the work, artist's name, and 'Made in 1965 at 82', possibly in her own hand, the fabric faded all over, approx 40cm wide 28ch high. Elizabeth Allen (1883-1967) was the daughter of a tailor and used to collect scraps left over fabric from her father's business to produce her artworks. Preferring to be known as 'Queen', she lived and worked in an isolated hut near Biggin Hill.She and her work were 'discovered' in the mid-1960s, late in her life, at a time when folk art was seeing a revival in popularity. This appliqué appears to be from her first exhibition in London, when her work was compared to that of Grandma Moses, Paul Klee and Picasso in the press. It was also compared to the work of the tailor George Smart in the 1830s and was described as "naive", 'prophetic" and possessing "an odd quasi-mystical faith of her own". In December 1973, The Crane Gallery held another exhibition of her work, but this time combined it with paintings by the now highly popular Cornish fisherman artist Alfred Wallis. Both artists were supported strongly by Hungarian born gallerist Andras Kalman. An example of her work is held in the folk art collection at Compton Verney. Although sadly faded, this probably amongst the last artworks she made as she died two years later, aged 84. From the Estate of the artist Dilys Pinion
Sold for £50
A 1960s Elizabeth Allen naive or folk art 'Lunar-Ticks' Picnic' felt and fabric appliqué or patchwork picture, showing four dinosaur-like beasts standing around a cooking pot suspended over a fire on a frame, outside huts or caves, with sequin and silver foil thread details, framed and glazed, the back with paper exhibition label for an exhibition in March 1966 at The Crane Kalman Gallery, Brompton Road, London, and with a hand-written label with the title of the work, artist's name, and 'Made in 1965 at 82', possibly in her own hand, the fabric faded all over, approx 40cm wide 28ch high. Elizabeth Allen (1883-1967) was the daughter of a tailor and used to collect scraps left over fabric from her father's business to produce her artworks. Preferring to be known as 'Queen', she lived and worked in an isolated hut near Biggin Hill.She and her work were 'discovered' in the mid-1960s, late in her life, at a time when folk art was seeing a revival in popularity. This appliqué appears to be from her first exhibition in London, when her work was compared to that of Grandma Moses, Paul Klee and Picasso in the press. It was also compared to the work of the tailor George Smart in the 1830s and was described as "naive", 'prophetic" and possessing "an odd quasi-mystical faith of her own". In December 1973, The Crane Gallery held another exhibition of her work, but this time combined it with paintings by the now highly popular Cornish fisherman artist Alfred Wallis. Both artists were supported strongly by Hungarian born gallerist Andras Kalman. An example of her work is held in the folk art collection at Compton Verney. Although sadly faded, this probably amongst the last artworks she made as she died two years later, aged 84. From the Estate of the artist Dilys Pinion
