William Scott, R.A. (1913-1989)

Scott's still lifes of 1956-58 present a range of compositions, from complex and crowded tabletops to uncomplicated, almost austere, arrangements. Blue Frying Pan is a balanced work in which the artist has carefully positioned the objects in relation to each other. He has divided the composition both horizontally and vertically: the line of the tabletop divides the composition horizontally, with the handles of the pans resting on this line. The vertical axis is provided by the balance of the large frying pan on the left with the smaller pans and bowls on the right. Alan Bowness wrote, 'Scott's sense of proportion and interval is highly developed, and the tensions between forms are always taut' (William Scott: Paintings, London, 1964, p. 10).

The tone and colours used in the present work are in sharp contrast to each other. The depth of the layered black and blue paint is offset by the pure white of the bowl in the foreground. The relationship between the objects is enhanced by this contrast and creates a tension between them. Scott himself said 'The subject of my painting ... would appear to be the kitchen still life, but in point of fact ... my subject is the division on canvas of spaces, and relating one space or one shape to another. That is the fundamental sort of reason for my painting' ('William Scott in conversation with Tony Rothon', Studio International, December 1974, vol. 188, p. 230).