JOHN MINTON (BRITISH, 1917-1957)
Street Scene, Morocco
signed and dated 'John/Minton/1953' (lower left)
gouache, watercolour and ink
28 x 38 in. (11 x 15 in.)

Provenance
With Redfern Gallery, London, where purchased by the previous owner

As a key figure in the Neo-Romantic movement, Minton’s work is characterized by its emotive landscapes, melancholic figures, and a sense of poetic nostalgia. This movement, emerging in the 1930s and 1940s, emphasized emotion and fantasy, often returning to pastoral themes with a modern sensibility. Minton’s paintings and illustrations captured these elements with a distinctive style that set him apart in the British art scene.

Minton’s travels to Morocco in the late 1940s were a turning point in his artistic development. The vibrant life, bustling markets, and diverse landscapes of Morocco provided him with a wealth of visual inspiration. Accompanied by his friend Norman Bowler, Minton embarked on a journey to Morocco in the late 1940s. Their travels took them through bustling markets, winding streets, and majestic desert landscapes, providing Minton with a wealth of visual and cultural inspiration.

“The Sheltering Sky” by Paul Bowles, a novel set in North Africa, had a profound impact on Minton during his time in Morocco. Bowles’ evocative prose and exploration of themes such as existentialism, alienation, and the clash of cultures resonated deeply with Minton’s own experiences and observations.