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Lot Essay
Painted in 1974, the present work predates Sun Lounge, 1975 (sold in these rooms for a world record auction price, June 2006) by a year. The paintings share similar subject matter in that they contain suggestions of holidays and leisure time. Both paintings, however, while indicating these ideas, simultaneously undermine them and create a feeling of unease and uncertainty which is typical of Caulfield's work.
Sun Lounge presents the viewer with a confusion between interior and exterior space, and it is not clear where a passer-by might be able to relax and enjoy some sunshine as the chairs in the foreground appear to be inside with electric lights overhead. In a similar way, Springtime: Face à la Mer promises a sea view but instead the viewer is presented with the side of a building with no potential glimpse of the sea, past the house.
Also characteristic of Caulfield's work is the absence of people. Although much of Caulfield's subject matter revolves around the implication of human habitation, figures are rarely seen. The effect that this can have on the viewer is for them to project themselves into the space that the artist has presented. The familiarity and generality of the places and objects that Caulfield depicts enables the viewer to imagine themselves within the space and causes them to think around the place portrayed. However, Caulfield often confounds this desire in the complex and confusing presentation of interior and exterior space. In any case the work is painted with his deliberate simplification of flat colour panes and black outlines and through this Caulfield destroys any concept that this place could be inhabited. He makes it clear that the painting is an illusion and is purely paint on canvas and that viewer has been duped by a very clever sleight of hand.
Sun Lounge presents the viewer with a confusion between interior and exterior space, and it is not clear where a passer-by might be able to relax and enjoy some sunshine as the chairs in the foreground appear to be inside with electric lights overhead. In a similar way, Springtime: Face à la Mer promises a sea view but instead the viewer is presented with the side of a building with no potential glimpse of the sea, past the house.
Also characteristic of Caulfield's work is the absence of people. Although much of Caulfield's subject matter revolves around the implication of human habitation, figures are rarely seen. The effect that this can have on the viewer is for them to project themselves into the space that the artist has presented. The familiarity and generality of the places and objects that Caulfield depicts enables the viewer to imagine themselves within the space and causes them to think around the place portrayed. However, Caulfield often confounds this desire in the complex and confusing presentation of interior and exterior space. In any case the work is painted with his deliberate simplification of flat colour panes and black outlines and through this Caulfield destroys any concept that this place could be inhabited. He makes it clear that the painting is an illusion and is purely paint on canvas and that viewer has been duped by a very clever sleight of hand.