Footnotes

Provenance
Sale; Bonhams, London, 29 November 2005, lot 120, where acquired by the family of the present owners
Private Collection, U.K.

Literature
Dennis Farr & Éva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor, With a Complete Illustrated Catalogue 1947-1996, Lypiatt Studio, Stroud, 1997, p.276, cat.no.643S
Dennis Farr & Éva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor, With a Complete Illustrated Catalogue 1947-2005, Lund Humphries, Aldershot, 2006, p.284, cat.no.643S
Dennis Farr & Éva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor, With a Complete Illustrated Catalogue 1947-2003, Lund Humphries, Farnham, 2014, p.291, cat.no.643S

Two Reclining Figures by Lynn Chadwick exude a relaxed aura, resting partly on their sides with the male and female figures joined at the thighs so that the sculpture is one, substantial unit, heightening their sense of togetherness. There is an intimacy inherent in this piece which is difficult to locate in Chadwick's sculptures from the 1950s and 60s and a sense of privacy that we feel as the passing viewer. The male, positioned behind, lifts his right thigh and hip as if he may be about to envelop his partner in a protective and tender moment. The gentle and naturalistic modelling of the female's torso and breasts recalls Chadwick's slightly earlier Elektra I (1968) but here only the faces are polished to give a sleek and shiny surface. The present work rejects the rougher more primitive finish of his first major figure group, The Watchers (1960). The female contrasts most effectively with the more rigid, angular planes of her partner. He is less rounded and voluminous, and the two exquisitely complement one another. It is likely the couple are simply sunbathing, raising their necks so that their faces, at right angles to their bodies, are fully exposed to the rays of the sun they are apparently worshipping.

Two Reclining Figures was made shortly after Chadwick and his wife Éva established their own foundry, at Lypiatt Park, Gloucestershire. With Éva by his side, and looking after the business side of his profession, Chadwick emerged out of a period of debt in the 1960s into one with more financial stability. His international reputation had long been secured, and with the luxury of his own foundry from 1971 the sculptor was able to scrutinize the accuracy and quality of the casting process.

We are grateful to the Artist's Estate for their assistance in cataloguing this lot.