Panel of 72 terracotta tiles - Ron Hitchins
Panel of 72 terracotta tiles - Ron Hitchins
Original panel made of 72 individually handmade terracotta tiles from the artist's own home.
Each terracotta tile is unique, painted and finished by the artist.
About the artworks
Reminiscent of Aztec and Art Deco architecture, this piece has a great Brutalist feel. The panel formed part of the furnishings in Ron's kitchen and was carefully removed by the artist's estate after Ron passed away and the house was subsequently sold. It has since been carefully restored and framed by Cal.
Year: unknown (Ron made thousands of unique tiles from the mid 1960s to the early 2000s)
Colour: Gold tone with black wax creating a very striking contrast to the relief designs of the tiles.
Framing: The piece has been sympathetically framed in a simple walnut frame in a style similar to how Ron framed the panels that he made for sale. The framed panel has been fitted with brass fixings and is ready to hang.
Authenticity: This piece comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by the sole executor of the Ron Hitchins estate (Mike Jingle). This panel was purchased directly from the Artist's Estate.
Delivery: Collect from the shop or contact Cal to arrange specialist art handlers.
About the artist
Ron Hitchins (1928 – 2019) was a British born artist, sculptor, and flamenco dancer rooted in Hackney, London. He was born to a Lithuanian prostitute working in a Soho opium den, and a Chinese father.
Inspired by the work of Picasso, Bancusi, Ernst and Hepworth, he produced tens of thousands of unique terracotta tiles for his own house. This panel was made by Ron Hitchins as part of the Living Room Furnishings in his spectacular home. Ron Hitchins' house can be viewed on the website set up by the artist's estate.
His tools were simple, comprising knives, paperclips and even a Biro tube, and he often worked naked due to the heat from the kiln, earning himself the nickname ‘The Naked Sculptor’. Although many motifs were repeated, each tile – astonishingly – is unique in precise design and composition.
Ron Hitchins work has become increasingly sought after in recent years and has been purchased by major collections such as the V&A, sold at Christie's and Bonham's and has featured on the Antiques Roadshow.