Lot 122: Stan Cooper (1915-2010) 'The Year of the field'; A set of twelve prints depicting the changing seasons

'The Year of the field'; A set of twelve prints depicting the changing seasons
each inscibed, signed and numbered from an edition of 25, linocut,
21.5 x 28cm (8 7/16 x 11in).
(12)

Stan Cooper moved to Suffolk in 1979 having spent the previous two decades teaching art in the Midlands. Having previously practised art in various mediums, once in Suffolk he concentrated almost entirely on printmaking, developing complex methods for handling the difficult medium of lino-cut printing, he experimented with the differing transparency qualities of different inks and complex multiple stage printing to produce highly refined results.
His subjects tended to be inspired by the local landscape or provincial France. In the 1980's he completed his most involved project, the group of prints which he named "Year of the Field". Comprising 48 prints, four for each month of the year. This was received with great acclaim at the numerous exhibitions he held around East Anglia, Colin Moss wrote at the time "He is one of a select few artists who work almost exclusively in what is basically the most simple, direct method of printmaking...he contrives however, to exploit it to a degree which produces subtle, complex effects altogether unbelievable".