Mary Fedden: Enigmas and Variations

Description

Mary Fedden (1915-2012) is one of Britain's most popular artists. The focus of this acclaimed book, newly available in paperback in celebration of her life's achievement, is the artist's creative process in various different media - oil, gouache, pencil and collage.While Fedden is often considered almost exclusively a still-life painter, still life was far from being her only preoccupation, as this book shows. Fantasy and imagination always also played a strong part, as is particularly evident in her small gouaches. A quietly surreal, enigmatic streak runs through much of her work.Fedden's collages are a witty and affectionate homage to the work of her husband, Julian Trevelyan. They lived, worked and travelled together from 1949 to 1988. The book re-emphasises her debt to him, but also her independence, even during their early life together when he stimulated her move into Modernism. In an engaging text, which draws on numerous conversations with the artist during her final years, Christopher Andreae considers why Fedden has always had such a popular following, looks at the English quality of her work, and talks about the commercialisation of her art and her attitudes to the art market. Fedden is shown to be an original, serious and prolific artist, a draftsman of unusual sensitivity and prowess, and a colourist of power and subtlety.Profusely illustrated with works from private and public collections, this is a book for Mary Fedden's existing devotees as well as newcomers to her work. 'This book is a delight...' RA Magazine

Christopher Andreae has written about art since the early 1960s. He is the author of Joan Eardley (2013), Mary Newcomb (1996 and 2007), A Word or Two (a collection of essays published in 2004) and Winifred Nicholson (2009).

'This book is a delight...' RA Magazine 'A well rounded and comprehensive book ... There are an admirable number of high quality reproductions, giving an overview to the remarkable scope of the artist which will please fans of the artist as well as those not yet familiar with Fedden's ubiquitous work.' Antiques Magazine ' ... this is a book to delight Fedden's many friends and admirers ... [Andreae's] sensitive, intelligent book deepens our understanding of the subtleties of [Fedden's] art - and its unexpected variety.' House & Garden 2007 ' ... perceptive and sympathetic text ... ' . EDP Sunday Magazine 'This gloriously illustrated book does much to reveal the multi-faceted nature of her work, highlighting her use of different media from oils to collage.' BBC Antiques Roadshow Magazine, June 2014