Exhibition. Eileen Gray: the private painter

On October 13th the Osborne Samuel gallery in London presents the first UK exhibition of paintings by the designer and architect Eileen Gray. The exhibition will display over 60 paintings and photographs from the 1920s to the 1960s that will be for sale as well as personal belongings of the artist.

The exhibition coincides with the launch of the book entitled Eileen Gray: The Private Painter, which presents an approach to Eileen Gray’s life. The book was written by Andrew Lambirth and by the biographer and friend of the artist Peter Adam, and a foreword by Samuel Gordon. It is published by Lund Humphries Publishing and Osborne Samuel gallery.

Gray’s paintings were a private pastime for the artist, a way to help her overcome the stress and aggravations that came with her work. Some of her creations shown in the exhibition are Cubist inspired designs for her carpets.

The exhibition also features photographs taken by Gray throughout his career, including compositions as the Tablescape compositions (1920) and photographs of buildings and industrial sites that served as inspiration in her work.

‘Photography became a hobby. She searched out some buildings and industrial sites and took pictures of cranes, scaffolding and pipes. Some of the shapes found their way into her paintings.’

To compliment these private works, the exhibition includes some personal objects and furniture. Some of the most interesting are her work table and an architectural plan chest, both designed by her.

The exhibition also houses various portraits of Eileen Gray, two of them taken in 1926 by the American artist Berenice Abbot.

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Untitled, c.1940. Gouache and collage on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Untitled (Brown with green stripes). 1930 Gouache on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Untitled (Red Form), c.1930. Gouache and collage on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Untitled (detail of Plate 32), 1920. Gouache on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Cage, c.1940. Gouache on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Castellar (also known as Brentano), 1920. Gouache, pencil & collage on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Study for a Rug, 1920s Gouache on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Marine d’abord (Study for Rug), 1926–9. Gouache on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Untitled, 1920. Gouache, pencil and collage on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Study for a Rug, 1920. Gouache on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

L’Art Noir (Study for Rug), 1920s. Gouache on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Port Grimaud, c.1950. Photograph. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Church in Saint-Tropez, c.1950. Photograph. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Petrified Wood, c.1950. Photograph. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Curtain Rings, c.1930. Photograph. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Tablescape, 1920. Photograph. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Marble torso from 21 rue Bonaparte, 1920. Photograph. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Architectural plan chest, c.1925. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Table with blue glass vase, beach pebble on stand, African sculpture on lacquered base, Greek torso on marble base, two ceramic bowls and one small wooden easel. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Plan for a Table, c.1920. Pen and pencil on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Stationery: handwritten and typed correspondence between Eileen Gray and Prunella Clough, visiting card, invitation card, advertisement and Eileen Gray label. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Sourire, 1940. Gouache and collage on paper. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

Berenice Abbott, Eileen Gray, 1926. Photograph. Exhibition Eileen Gray: the private painter. Image courtesy of the Osborne Samuel Gallery.

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More information

Eileen Gray

Eileen Gray (1878-1976) is an architect and furniture designer born in Ireland. She is considered one of the most influential women of the 20s in those fields.

In 1901 she enrolled in drawing at the Slade School of Fine Arts in London, and during his visits to the Victoria and Alberto Museum he developed her admiration for the Asian works of lacquer and in 1902 she settled temporarily in Paris to continue her studies in drawing at the École Colarossi. Gray settled permanently in Paris in 1906. She practiced little as an architect due to the restrictions that women had at that time in the architecture profession. Among his scarce projects are Villa E-1027 and Villa Tempe á Pailla, on the Costa Azul.

She obtained more fame as an interior designer and furniture designer. Although after the Second World War was losing this reputation little by little. Only in her last years of life did she return to that fame when the designer Zeev Aram took control of the rights of her work and rediscovered it to the world.

Published on: October 7, 2015

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