The work is a large scale still life composed of 21 ceramic objects arranged on a base board, these objects are inspired by everyday domestic ceramics – jugs, bottles and milk cartons. The colours of the objects are drawn from the fresco paintings of the early Renaissance Italian artist Piero della Francesca. This work is one of the largest still lifes that Verdcourt has ever composed.
Working with the genre of still life has been a constant in Verdcourt’s work. Much of the inspiration for these works comes from the still life paintings of Italian Giorgio Morandi. These paintings are quiet studies in the relationship of everyday objects to one another. Verdcourt expands on this by creating objects in three dimensions. She is inspired by her immediate environs. This work would be a significant addition to the collection, because of its scale and the fact that it encapsulates the artists well trained eye for bringing together disparate objects to create a beautiful composition.
Sarjeant Gallery Aquisition Report 2010