Footnotes

Provenance
The Artist, by whom gifted to his son
Simon Chadwick, thence by family descent to the present owners
Private Collection, U.K.

Exhibited
London, Marlborough Fine Art, Chadwick: Recent Sculpture, 8 February-10 March 1978; this exhibition travelled to Zurich, Marlborough Galerie, 4 April-31 May 1978 (another cast)

Literature
Burlington Magazine, 120, April 1978, 251
Dennis Farr & Éva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor, With a Complete Illustrated Catalogue 1947-1996, Lypiatt Studio, Stroud, 1997, pp.312-313, cat.no.759 (ill.b&w, another cast)
Dennis Farr & Éva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor, With a Complete Illustrated Catalogue 1947-2005, Lund Humphries, Aldershot, 2006, pp.320-321, cat.no.759 (ill.b&w, another cast)
Dennis Farr & Éva Chadwick, Lynn Chadwick, Sculptor, With a Complete Illustrated Catalogue 1947-2003, Lund Humphries, Farnham, 2014, p.328, cat.no.759 (ill.b&w, another cast)

In contrast to the part polished, part matte, part naturalistic, part cuboid figures of the period such as the previous two lots, Chadwick was also exploring the possibilities at this time that draping his figures afforded him. This approach which began primarily through experimentations with single figures was soon applied to couples. Chadwick had sculpted discernibly clothed figures previously with his Teddy boys and girls, and other works such as Paper Hat of 1959 – but in such sculptures the clothing served as an identity marker for the figure. In his cloaked works, of which the present work is one of the earliest examples, his concerns are primarily geared towards the sculptural options the clothing permitted. And where Chadwick achieved greatest success in this regard was the sense of movement awarded to his bronzes.

The present work is the first from a series of eight 'cloaked couples' all made 1977-1978. Across this series, the couple are united in a single cast and enveloped by the structure of their attire. Their united nature differentiates them from a series of 'pairs of cloaked figures' of the same period in which the male and the female figures stand apart. This particular cast is the largest of the series.

The commencement of this series was concurrent with the arrival of Chadwick's 'Jubilee' series of cloaked striding couples which span a decade from 1977. So named for the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952, their title also acknowledges the ceremonial feel of a man and woman striding side by side. Whilst the present work is not overtly titled as such, the regality of form seen, leads to a conclusion of synergy between the two series.

Cloaked Couple I was cast in an edition of eight, of which one cast is in the collection of The Arts Council, England.

We are grateful to Sarah Chadwick for her assistance in cataloguing this lot.