Madonna and Child with Flowers, circa 1956

Father Thomas Lynch, England (acquired directly from the Artist) By descent to a Private Collection, England Heffel Fine Art, auction, November 5-26, 2020, lot no. 217 Private Collection, Ottawa

Patricia Morley, Kurelek: A Biography, Toronto, 1986, page 125

Patricia Morley discusses Kurelek’s work with gouache during the 1950s (his “typical medium” of the decade) and makes note of this artwork, Father Thomas Lynch’s personalized and cherished composition from the painter: “[Madonna and Child with Flowers] is based on an old Italian Madonna which Father Lynch treasured. The composition includes the small painted statue of Mary, a pewter pot with four daisy-shaped flowers in soft reds and pinks, and a tiny blue bowl with greenish cherries. The composition and color harmonies are masterly. Had Bill continued in this direction, he would certainly have been remembered for his exquisite still lifes. The Madonna sits on a narrow table by a wall. Table and wall are covered by a small piece of used decorative paper done in illusionist technique, its creases startingly real. ‘Realism’, however was never the focus of the artist’s interest. The paper’s creases make two subtle cruciforms, one behind Mary aligned with her shoulder: the mother, crucified by grief.” A close friend and guide to William Kurelek during his immersion within the Catholic faith, Father Thomas Lynch held “Madonna and Child with Flowers” in his personal collection, the artwork later descending through his family.