Ralph Brown

Catalogue entry

T00374 SWIMMING 1959–60
 
Not inscribed.
Bronze, 23 3/4×31×12 1/2 (60×79×32), on a bronze rod, 7 (18), and a Hoptonwood stone base, 2×19 1/4×13 1/4 (5×49×34).
Purchased from the artist (Grant-in-Aid) 1960.
Exh: Arts Council, Contemporary British Sculpture, open-air tour, April–October 1960 (4).
Lit: Art Gallery of New South Wales: Acquisitions 1961, 1962, p.29.
Repr: Motif, VIII, winter 1961, p.59; Ambassador, XI, 1962, p.54.

Cast by the lost-wax method, the first cast of an edition of nine; the second is in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney. The artist wrote (14 July 1960): ‘The “Swimmers” is a recent and for me important work ... it carries my development away from realism, while my preoccupation remains with the human figure and movement’, and added (7 November 1960): ‘It was not prompted by any particular incident, but is one of a number of sculptures I have been making on this theme, none of which however I would regard especially as studies, with the exception of one or two reliefs which for me take the place of sketches or drawings.’

Versions of this theme include a fountain group 84 inches high for Hatfield New Town made in 1960–1.

Published in:
Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, London 1964, I

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