The Piano

A contemplative painting dated 1978 that presents an upright piano reduced to its essential forms, transforming a familiar domestic object into a study of mood and structure, and executed in oil onto canvas.

The instrument is shown front-on, its keyboard stretching horizontally across the composition, with an open book of sheet music hovering at the centre like a quiet focal point. Subtle hints of pedals below ground the piano in space, while the surrounding fields of colour dissolve the setting into something more psychological than literal.

The work favours simplification over detail and atmosphere over realism. The piano’s solid mass is rendered in broad, blocky shapes, lending it a sculptural presence, while the perspective is gently skewed, adding a sense of introspection and stillness rather than strict accuracy.

The colour palette is both restrained and expressive. Deep blacks and charcoal browns of the piano are softened by surrounding planes of olive green, moss, muted yellow, and a warm rust-red edge, creating a subtle tension between cool and warm tones. The white of the keys and sheet music emerges softly from the darker body, glowing rather than sharply contrasting.

Brushstrokes are visible and deliberate, applied in layered, matte passages that flatten the surface while retaining texture. Edges are softened and slightly blurred, allowing forms to bleed gently into one another. This painterly handling enhances the quiet, contemplative mood of the piece, suggesting not sound or performance, but the pause before music begins – a moment of silence filled with potential.

This oil on canvas is housed in a complementary slim wood frame. Both the painting and frame are in excellent vintage condition.

Size: 51.5 x 55 cm (including frame)