Signs of a Struggle: Process, Technique, and Materials in the Early Work of Mark Gertler, 1911–18

This paper describes a collaborative technical and art-historical study by a conservation scientist and an art historian of paintings by Mark Gertler (1891–1939) produced between 1911 and 1918, sparked by the discovery through X-radiography of a painted sketch for his masterwork Merry-Go-Round (1916...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Aviva Burnstock, Sarah MacDougall
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Yale University 2020-02-01
Series:British Art Studies
Online Access:http://britishartstudies.ac.uk/issues/issue-index/issue-15/signs-of-a-struggle
Description
Summary:This paper describes a collaborative technical and art-historical study by a conservation scientist and an art historian of paintings by Mark Gertler (1891–1939) produced between 1911 and 1918, sparked by the discovery through X-radiography of a painted sketch for his masterwork Merry-Go-Round (1916).1 Paintings were chosen to demonstrate Gertler’s experiments with diverse painting styles and influences ranging from Renaissance art through post-Impressionism to early European modernism; these were investigated in a technical study together with comparative contemporaneous written sources that provide commentary on the artist’s painting practices. Technical examination has shown how Gertler frequently reused his supports and has revealed changes to his paintings, sometimes supported by commentary. The study highlights the relationship between intention and practice in this period of critical change in Gertler’s work, providing insights into his stylistic and technical development.
ISSN:2058-5462