George Campbell RHA RUA (1917-1979)
Madge Reflected in Dressing Mirror
Oil on panel, 40 x 30cm (16 x 12'')
Signed

Provenance: Previously in the collection of artist Gerald Davis

George Campbell RHA RUA (1917-1979)
Madge Reflected in Dressing Mirror
Oil on panel, 40 x 30cm (16 x 12'')
Signed

Provenance: Previously in the collection of artist Gerald Davis

Exhibited, George Campbell Exhibition, The Victor Waddington Galleries, March 1946, Cat No. 7;
Christmas Exhibition 1995, The Frederick Gallery. Cat. No. 21 where purchased by current owners.

 

Margaret Madge McNeill Thompson met George Campbell in the Labour offices of Short and Hartland Ltd, the aircraft factory in Belfast circa 1940/1. Following the Blitz in April 1941, George felt compelled to leave his job as a wages clerk to paint. One year later, the couple married and lived in Belfast until 1946. This early work, was probably executed towards the end of 1945 when George and Madge were staying with Madges eldest sister in London in preparation for his first solo exhibition in Spring 1946 at Victor Waddingtons Gallery in South Anne Street, Dublin. One of thirty eight works listed in the 1946 catalogue, Madge in the Mirror was favourably mentioned by the Irish Times critic, Arthur Power who praised it for its sense of intimacy. Other works in the exhibition, Blizzard and Snow Scene suggest the artist experienced bad weather during his stay in London which may have caused the artist to choose indoor subjects.

 

Karen Reihill

August 2016

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