Desmond Morris (Purton b. 1928)

Completed in January 1986, The Blind Watchmaker is one of the finest works of the period. It highlights Desmond Morris’ propensity to Surrealism in the dream-like composition depicting a variety of forms from the biomorphic world. The painting is inspired by a book title by Richard Dawkins and had subsequently been used as a book cover. The strong composition inspired a London bookshop to arrange a window display which recreated the painting with three-dimensional models. The Blindwatchers embodies the artist’s highly imaginative and individual style. It has been argued that this is a painting which comments on the nature of painting. Morris notes ‘The main figure is placed in the role of creator of biomorphs.’ (See S. Levy, Desmond Morris: Analytical Catalogue Raisonné 1944-2000, Antwerp, 2001, p. 312).