Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
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Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/mary-potter-1795" aria-label="More by Mary Potter" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Mary Potter</a>
Golden Kipper
Purchased 1940
animals: fish and aquatic life
bowl
eating
eating and drinking
fish
fish, kipper
food and drink
fork
kitchen
leisure and pastimes
miscellaneous
objects
paper
plate
salad
vessels and containers
<p>When Mary Potter left the Slade School of Art in 1921 Professor Henry Tonks warned that to succeed as a painter she must give up everything and never marry. But her marriage proved less disruptive than the war. She was forced to give up painting on a regular basis and her work was seldom on public view. 'Golden Kipper', however, was shown at the 'United Artists' exhibition at the Royal Academy in January 1940. The flat decorative design indicates Potter's interest in Oriental art and the colourful near-abstract works of Paul Klee. Gleaming golden kippers became a precious commodity during the harsh years of wartime austerity.</p><p><em>Gallery label, August 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
Golden Kipper
support: 508 × 406 mm

Purchased 1940
<p>When Mary Potter left the Slade School of Art in 1921 Professor Henry Tonks warned that to succeed as a painter she must give up everything and never marry. But her marriage proved less disruptive than the war. She was forced to give up <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> on a regular basis and her work was seldom on public view. 'Golden Kipper', however, was shown at the 'United Artists' exhibition at the Royal Academy in January 1940. The flat decorative design indicates Potter's interest in Oriental art and the colourful near-<a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/a/abstract-art" title="Glossary definition for 'Abstract art'"><span>abstract</span></a> works of Paul Klee. Gleaming golden kippers became a precious commodity during the harsh years of wartime austerity.</p>
Display caption
2004-08-31T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N05132</b> GOLDEN KIPPER 1939</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not inscribed.
<br/>Canvas, 20×16 (51×40·5).
<br/>Purchased from the artist through Arthur Tooth &amp; Sons (Knapping Fund) 1940.
<br/><i>Exh:</i>
<i>United Artists</i>, R.A., January–March 1940 (1342).</p>
<p>Painted in Manchester in 1940, according to the artist (letter of 28 January 1958), but as the <i>United Artists</i> exhibition opened on the 5 January 1940, with Press and private views on the two preceding days, it must in fact have been completed late in the previous year.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-07-20T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
animals: fish and aquatic life bowl eating eating and drinking fish fish, kipper food and drink fork kitchen leisure and pastimes miscellaneous objects paper plate salad vessels and containers