Untitled

This intimate oil on paper captures many of the qualities that define Alan Davie’s mature work. Built around a central abstract form suggestive of a figure, mask or totem, the composition combines rich colour with energetic brushwork to create an image that remains deliberately open to interpretation.

Working directly in oil on paper, Davie layered expressive marks, scraped passages and saturated colour to produce a surface of remarkable vitality. The work rewards close inspection, revealing the confidence and immediacy of his handling while retaining the sense of spontaneity that characterised much of his practice.

Although modest in scale, the painting possesses a striking visual presence and demonstrates Davie’s ability to concentrate complex symbolic imagery within an intimate format.

Research & Institutional References

Historical Context

Produced during the mature period of Davie’s career, when his work combined expressive abstraction with recurring symbolic forms drawn from mythology, music and personal imagery.

Public Collections

Works by Alan Davie are represented in major public collections including Tate, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and numerous international museums.