05 December 2012

Mortola Superiore - the Sculptures


The church was decorated by Colin Colahan, an Australia artist who moved to Mortola Superiore in 1958. As you can see the sculptures are unglazed and some now show signs of deterioration.

Colin Colahan was born in Australia in 1887 and moved to Europe in 1935, never to return. He worked in England for much of his career as a portrait painter but is best known as a war artist, which is when he apparently worked at the peak of his ability. Later he turned to sculpture, producing over thirty works including the 'Sirene' fountain in Bordighera and a head of Victor Smorgon, bought by the National Gallery of Victoria.

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L'église a été décorée par Colin Colahan, un artiste Australien qui a emménagé à La Mortola Supérieure en 1958. Comme vous pouvez voir, les sculptures ne sont pas émaillées et certaines montrent maintenant des signes de détérioration.

Colin Colahan est né en Australie en 1887 et s'est installé en Europe en 1935, pour ne jamais en repartir. Il a travaillé comme portraitiste en Angleterre pendant la majeure partie de sa carrière, mais il est surtout connu comme peintre de la guerre pendant laquelle il a été à l'apogée de son art. Plus tard, il s'est tourné vers la sculpture,  produisant plus de trente oeuvres, dont la fontaine « Sirène > à Bordighera et une tête de Victor Smorgon , achetée par la National Gallery of Victoria.





2 comments:

  1. Hi Jilly, it's lovely how they've been sculpted into the wall!
    Duncan In Kuantan

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hope no-one restores them like that church in Spain.

    ReplyDelete

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