27 - LYNN CHADWICK (1914–2003)
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Estimate €2,500,000 - €3,500,000

Description

LYNN CHADWICK (1914–2003) High Hat Man and High Hat Woman, 1968 bronze edition 1/4 H. 232 cm and 237 cm, respectively Created in 1968, these sculptures form part of an edition of four. PROVENANCE: The Estate of the Artist Finartis Kunsthandels AG, Switzerland Private collection LITERATURE: D. Farr and E. Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor: With a Complete Illustrated Catalogue 1947–2005, Lund Humphries, London, 2006, nos. 570 and 571, p. 258 (other casts reproduced). EXHIBITION: Osborne Samuel Gallery, London, 2004 (reproduced). High Hat Man and High Hat Woman were created in 1968, at the height of Lynn Chadwick’s artistic maturity. This pair bears witness to the artist’s enduring interest in the human figure and the relationships between forms. The male figure, characterised by a broad, rectangular torso, contrasts with the female silhouette, which is more slender and elongated, recognisable by her narrow neck, longer legs and the subtle modelling of her chest and abdomen. Both wear tall hats with distinctive geometric shapes. Their angular bodies and elongated limbs reduce the human form to a few essential elements, whilst the differences in posture and proportions suggest a psychological relationship between the two figures. Evoking Jungian archetypes of the masculine and the feminine, this pair forms part of Chadwick’s exploration of couples standing, sitting or reclining—a recurring theme in his work from the 1960s onwards. Chadwick developed his sculptures directly in three dimensions, generally without resorting to preparatory drawings. His working method, which bears similarities to automatism and the spontaneous processes associated with Art Informel, allowed him to let forms emerge through construction rather than following a predetermined plan. He welded steel rods to form openwork structures, a process he described as ‘drawing with steel rods’, before applying Stolit, a compound of gypsum and iron filings, to create surfaces that could be smoothed or textured. The models were then cast in bronze. Chadwick generally avoided the use of colour, favouring patina effects, surface textures and, occasionally, facets of polished bronze. The combination of rigid geometric structures and organic forms in his work also evokes the biomorphic tendencies of post-war abstraction. Chadwick received no formal training in sculpture. Trained in architectural draughtsmanship, he worked in architectural practices before devoting himself to sculpture. After the Second World War, his collaboration with the architect Rodney Thomas led him to his first experiments with mobiles, at a time when Alexander Calder’s works were still relatively unknown in Britain, as Chadwick later recalled. In 1950, wishing to acquire the technical skills necessary to create larger-scale works, he undertook training in welding at the British Oxygen Company’s Welding School in Cricklewood, London, where he learnt to work with iron, steel, brass and copper. His work then evolved from mobiles and openwork constructions towards solid sculpture. For many years, Chadwick carried out much of the technical work involved in creating his sculptures himself. In 1971, he set up his own foundry at Lypiatt Park, primarily for the production of jewellery and small bronze works. In 1952, Chadwick exhibited at the Venice Biennale alongside a generation of British sculptors whose works were described by Herbert Read as embodying the ‘Geometry of Fear’. Their angular, often skeletal forms reflected the anxieties of post-war Europe, a context in which Chadwick’s early sculptures were widely interpreted. At the 1956 Venice Biennale, he was awarded the International Prize for Sculpture, beating Alberto Giacometti and César, and thus becoming the youngest recipient of this honour. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1964. By 1968, Chadwick had been working in bronze for over a decade and was producing increasingly ambitious figurative sculptures. Standing over two metres tall, *High Hat Man* and *High Hat Woman* illustrate how he adapted the welded structures and angular forms of his early constructions to monumental bronze figures. Despite their imposing dimensions and geometric simplification, each of the two sculptures retains its own distinctive characteristics, with their contrasting proportions establishing the relationship at the heart of the composition. At the buyer’s request, we shall be happy to provide a general report on the condition of the lot described above. However, as we are not professional conservators or restorers, we strongly advise potential buyers to carry out their own inspection or to consult a specialist of their choice to obtain a comprehensive assessment of the lot’s condition. Descriptions of items provided in the catalogue or by correspondence are for information purposes only and should not be regarded as a definitive assessment. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD ‘AS IS’, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE PUBLISHED IN THE CATALOGUE.

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About the sale From 19th-century art to modern art, Eastern European art, icons, Camille Pissarro, Jean-Baptiste Olive, Lynn Chadwick, Léon Bakst.

Auction location

Auction time 10/27/2026 at 2:30 PM

Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House

27 - LYNN CHADWICK (1914–2003) See original version (French)

27 - LYNN CHADWICK (1914–2003)
See original version (French)