VICTOR PASMORE, C.H., R.A. (1908-1998)

Victor Pasmore considered Brown Development No. 3 to be one of his best works. For this reason it was selected to be included in Cunard Marlborough’s inaugural exhibition of 20th Century British Art aboard Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) in 1969, where it was displayed on the boat deck. Previous to this, the work belonged to the artist’s wife, Wendy Pasmore, who was also an artist. Speaking about this series of Developments, Pasmore said: ‘in calling this a development a work of art we are initiating a new creative process into the history of Western culture because, if we analyse the means by which our object was brought into being, we find that it was essentially intrinsic. What mattered initially was not what our scribble would represent, but what it might become’ (V. Pasmore quoted in exhibition catalogue, Victor Pasmore: The Space Within, New Paintings 1968-69, London, Marlborough Fine Art, 1969, n.p.).