16th Sep, 2026 12:00
London | Ancient & Modern
67
⊕ BRIDGET RILEY (BRITISH B.1931)
TWO BLUES (SCHUBERT 52), 2003
signed Bridget Riley and dated '03 lower right in pencil; titled and numbered 173/250 lower left
screenprint in colours on wove paper
38.7 x 38.1cm (plate); (54.6 x 53.4cm sheet); (67 x 66.5cm framed)
Property from a Private Collection, North London
Provenance
Purchased by the present owner after 2003
Bridget Riley is one of Britains most most celebrated artists, born in Norwood in 1931, she studied at Goldsmiths College from 1949 to 1952, followed by the Royal College of Art from 1952 to 1955. After her first solo exhibition in London at Gallery One in 1962, Riley’s radical geometric works quickly gained international recognition. Printmaking has always been central to her practice, and Two Blues belongs to her highly sought-after Lozenges series, produced between 1998 and 2009.
In this series, the rigid straight lines of her earlier work give way to softer, undulating forms, often structured around diamond-shaped compositions. Comprising 22 editions in total, the Lozenges series explores the subtle interplay of colour. The works were notably inspired by Riley’s time in Cornwall, where she spent five years during the Second World War, with their rhythmic quality drawing inspiration from the movement of waves. Two Blues is a particularly striking example, where the contrast between lighter and darker blues evokes the effect of flickering sunlight on a glistening water surface.
Sold for £4,500
TWO BLUES (SCHUBERT 52), 2003
signed Bridget Riley and dated '03 lower right in pencil; titled and numbered 173/250 lower left
screenprint in colours on wove paper
38.7 x 38.1cm (plate); (54.6 x 53.4cm sheet); (67 x 66.5cm framed)
Property from a Private Collection, North London
Provenance
Purchased by the present owner after 2003
Bridget Riley is one of Britains most most celebrated artists, born in Norwood in 1931, she studied at Goldsmiths College from 1949 to 1952, followed by the Royal College of Art from 1952 to 1955. After her first solo exhibition in London at Gallery One in 1962, Riley’s radical geometric works quickly gained international recognition. Printmaking has always been central to her practice, and Two Blues belongs to her highly sought-after Lozenges series, produced between 1998 and 2009.
In this series, the rigid straight lines of her earlier work give way to softer, undulating forms, often structured around diamond-shaped compositions. Comprising 22 editions in total, the Lozenges series explores the subtle interplay of colour. The works were notably inspired by Riley’s time in Cornwall, where she spent five years during the Second World War, with their rhythmic quality drawing inspiration from the movement of waves. Two Blues is a particularly striking example, where the contrast between lighter and darker blues evokes the effect of flickering sunlight on a glistening water surface.
Auction: London | Ancient & Modern, 16th Sep, 2026
London is a city which has had a greater impact on culture around the world than almost any other, and it has never been more important than now to shine a light on its remarkable citizens and history. From Magna Carta to the television London has, again and again, been the source from which progress has radiated. The present sale takes us from a medieval spur found under Cannon Street station, to a medal minted to commemorate the Millennium, from prints and paintings, to clocks and pistols. This sale is a sensational opportunity to acquire a small piece of this incomparable place. Olympia is a proudly London-based auction house and we are thrilled to be offering the inaugural instalment of this sale.
Viewing
PUBLIC EXHIBITION:
Sunday 13th September: 12pm to 4pm
Monday 14th September: 10am to 8.00pm (Drinks from 5pm)
Tuesday 15th September: 10am to 5pm
