10th Dec, 2025 12:00
Fine Paintings, Works on Paper and Sculpture | December 2025
88
⊕ JOHN PLUMB (BRITISH 1927-2008)
UNTITLED, 1965
signed and dated John Plumb 65 on the reverse
oil on board
61 x 61cm; 24 x 24in
unframed
Provenance
Purchased by the present owner circa 2010
Plumb studied at the Byam School of Art, the Luton School of Art and the Central School of Art and Design in London, under Victor Pasmore and William Turnbull. From the mid-1950's he became fascinated by American Colour Field painting, particularly the primary colour palette and sharp, bisecting lines employed by Barnett Newman whose work he would have seen first hand in 1959 at the Tate Gallery's landmark exhibition The New American Painting.
In 1960 his work was featured in the ground breaking show Situation at the RBA galleries together with Robyn Deny and John Hoyland and some twenty other artists. Important group exhibitions since have included British Painting 1974 at the Hayward Gallery; Art 90 at Olympia, and Art & the 60s: This Was Tomorrow at Tate Britain in 2004. His first one-man exhibition was at Gallery One in 1957, others have included at the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol in 1967 and the London Arts Gallery in 1970. Plumb taught at Luton School of Art, 1955-61, Maidstone College of Art, 1961-6, and Bennington College, Vermont, 1968-9. He was Senior Lecturer in Painting at the Central School of Art and Design, London 1969-1982.
Sold for £1,500
UNTITLED, 1965
signed and dated John Plumb 65 on the reverse
oil on board
61 x 61cm; 24 x 24in
unframed
Provenance
Purchased by the present owner circa 2010
Plumb studied at the Byam School of Art, the Luton School of Art and the Central School of Art and Design in London, under Victor Pasmore and William Turnbull. From the mid-1950's he became fascinated by American Colour Field painting, particularly the primary colour palette and sharp, bisecting lines employed by Barnett Newman whose work he would have seen first hand in 1959 at the Tate Gallery's landmark exhibition The New American Painting.
In 1960 his work was featured in the ground breaking show Situation at the RBA galleries together with Robyn Deny and John Hoyland and some twenty other artists. Important group exhibitions since have included British Painting 1974 at the Hayward Gallery; Art 90 at Olympia, and Art & the 60s: This Was Tomorrow at Tate Britain in 2004. His first one-man exhibition was at Gallery One in 1957, others have included at the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol in 1967 and the London Arts Gallery in 1970. Plumb taught at Luton School of Art, 1955-61, Maidstone College of Art, 1961-6, and Bennington College, Vermont, 1968-9. He was Senior Lecturer in Painting at the Central School of Art and Design, London 1969-1982.
Auction: Fine Paintings, Works on Paper and Sculpture | December 2025, 10th Dec, 2025
Auction Location: London, UK
From Rembrandt to David Bowie, Tracy Emin and Alison Wilding, our December sale offers an astonishing range of work from the last 400 years. Highlights include a rare re-discovered watercolour by Léon Bonvin (1834-1866) - left - painted at the age of 31, the year he died; some 20 works by George Richmond RA (1809-1896) which have remained with the family for the past 175 years, including his engraving The Shepherd of 1827; and the characterful Retainer from Cutch by Mortimer Menpes (1855-1938) painted during the Delhi Durbar in 1903. The sale also includes sculpture from a Private Collection, Surrey (lots 106-119).
PUBLIC EXHIBITION:
Sunday 7th December: 12pm - 4pm
Monday 8th December: 10am - 8pm (Drinks 5 - 8pm)
Tuesday 9th December: 10am - 5pm
For more information please contact us | pictures@olympiaauctions.com | +44 (0)20 7806 5541
