Gerad Dillon RHA RUA (1916-1971) Clown with Red Canvas Oil on Board, 74.5 x 64.5cm (29.25 x 25.5'') Signed, inscribed with title verso Provenance: Taylor deVeres 12th December 1995, Catalogue No....

Gerad Dillon RHA RUA (1916-1971) Clown with Red Canvas Oil on Board, 74.5 x 64.5cm (29.25 x 25.5'') Signed, inscribed with title verso Provenance: Taylor deVeres 12th December 1995, Catalogue No. 34, where purchased by current owner Exhibited: ''Canvases and Clowns'', The Dawson Gallery 1965, Catalogue No. 11 By the mid-1960s Dillon had exhibited in London, Paris, Boston, New York and Rome. At home, he held regular exhibitions in the Dawson Gallery, and exhibited work as a committee member at the Royal Hibernian Academy and the Irish Exhibition of Living Art. In the early 1960s the artist's two brothers died which led to the appearance of a clown in oils and works on paper. The artist's show in April 1965 at the Dawson Gallery was a further development of the subject. The exhibition, ''Clown with Canvases'' had an acrobatic theme with clowns standing by canvases. Several were given fanciful titles with an addition of a colour; ''Blue Clown and Dove'' or ''Clown and Whirligig'', or in this case ''Clown with Red Canvas''. At the time art critics commented; ''These canvases are not easy to describe in words?'' (Irish Times 2/4/ 65); and others one year later drew their own conclusion ''Mr Dillon has never taken life seriously, and the clown is a natural symbol, with whom he can ally his thoughts and emotions.''(Irish Times, 19/8/66) Referring to Gerard Dillon's work, George Campbell suggested the ''second and third layers of meaning are much nearer to the basic Dillon than he wished to display in that first look.'' (Portrait of an artist; Irish Times 14/11/72). Interestingly both artists exhibited ''Acrobats'' and ''Tumbling Clowns'' in a group exhibition for Ulster Artists as early as 1944-5 with the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts (CEMA). This image however, relates to the artist's interest in Carl Jung, and in particular the power of a third eye, and its ability to read other people's thoughts. Similar to another work ''Clown with Acrobats'' (see image), the comic performance reveals the 'second and third layer' with the appearance of three eyes on one of the acrobats. According to Jung, the persona is an archetype that defines the social mask used by humans in social meetings. The third eye helps to see behind the social mask of an individual, but this can only be achieved by learning ''the dream'' language. The solemn expression on the clown may be linked to artist's unhappiness at having being forced to move to a new home with unfriendly neighbours in London. In an interview in 1964, the artist referred to people's questions on his subjects ''what does it mean'? or what's behind it?'' The artist explained ''It must mean nothing to the person who asks such a question. For, as I've said. It talks to you through your senses and it will 'talk' differently to each person as music does, through the eyes as music 'talks' to your senses through the ears.'' (The artist talk to Marian Fitzgerald; Irish Times 23/9/64) Karen Reihill Karen Reihill is currently researching the life and work of Gerard Dillon

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