“Relief”, 1963

McRoberts & Tunnard Limited, London, United Kingdom Dr. T.J. Honeyman, Glasgow, Scotland Private Collection, Ontario

Merlyn Evans was an important part of the 20th Century Modernist movement in Britain. Born in Cardiff, Evans spent his formative years in Glasgow and attended the Glasgow School of Art from 1927 to 1930. After travelling on a scholarship which took him to Germany, France, Sweden, and Denmark he continued his studies at The Royal College of Art in London from 1934 to 1936. Known for his paintings inspired by Cubism and Surrealism, he also came under the influence of Vorticist Wyndham Lewis and sculptor Lawrence Atkinson. “Relief” is an exceptionally rare sculpture by Evans in which he translates his bold geometric forms and graphic lines into marble. He continues the Vorticist practice of direct carving into the marble emphasizing its materiality while maintaining his abstract composition.