The Schism - Final Diagnosis, 1940
During 2021, Pictures of the Month marked the 70th anniversary of Edwin's second solo exhibition by featuring 12 of the paintings he exhibited in Aug/Sep 1951. The exhibition focused on "New Paintings" and about 45 of the 58 paintings were either newly painted or never exhibited before.
This work has the title "The Schism - Final Diagnosis" in very small white writing, just over half way up and close to the right-hand edge. Edwin's signature and the date "Aug 1940" is nearby in tiny dark writing. The title refers back to his first surrealist painting, Diagnosis 1, which was painted in 1939 and has a visual connection with the view out of the window in the centre of this painting.
The 1951 exhibition was the first time the painting was exhibited and Edwin gave it a different title, A Farewell to Surrealism, in the exhibition catalogue. This indicates he felt this painting marked the end of his "brief flirtation with Surrealism", although there's no doubt Surrealism continued to influence his work thereafter.
This work has the title "The Schism - Final Diagnosis" in very small white writing, just over half way up and close to the right-hand edge. Edwin's signature and the date "Aug 1940" is nearby in tiny dark writing. The title refers back to his first surrealist painting, Diagnosis 1, which was painted in 1939 and has a visual connection with the view out of the window in the centre of this painting.
The 1951 exhibition was the first time the painting was exhibited and Edwin gave it a different title, A Farewell to Surrealism, in the exhibition catalogue. This indicates he felt this painting marked the end of his "brief flirtation with Surrealism", although there's no doubt Surrealism continued to influence his work thereafter.
