Victor Pasmore in Blackheath Studio, 1960.
The most noticeable aspect of Victor Pasmore’s work is perhaps its sheer scope and variety. The British artist is best known as a pioneer of abstract art in post-World War II Britain, but he was also a skilled figurative painter and printmaker, and he continued to fearlessly experiment with different styles and methods until his death in 1998.
Pasmore achieved significant success and recognition during his lifetime, holding numerous academic posts and positions of influence in the art world, and so it is hardly surprising that his work remains popular in today’s market.
Demand for Pasmore pieces is strongest in the United Kingdom, and prints account for over 80% of lots sold since 2000. The majority of Pasmore prints sell for £500 to £5,000 at auction, although they can fetch far more, and his later work, created after he moved to Malta in 1966, is particularly popular.
If you think you have a Victor Pasmore print, and you’d like to find out more about its value, why not contact Mark Littler today?
Below is a list of six of the most sought-after Victor Pasmore prints on today’s art market.
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Images On The Wall
This incomplete set of etchings in colours (comprising 11 out of a total 12) was sold by Roseberys in October 2019 for £8,800. Created in 1992, the artwork exemplifies the kind of pieces Pasmore was making in the final years of his life.
After moving to Malta in 1966, he returned to painting again and also began to really experiment with printmaking, rediscovering his interest in Surrealism, and Joan Miró in particular. The earthy tones and vibrant blues and greens of the series are clearly inspired by the Mediterranean climate the artist was working in, and the geometric shapes overlaid on top are typical of the fluid lines Pasmore favoured in the latter part of his career.
Images on the Wall Sold by Roberys in 2019
Earth And Sky
This 1975 print far exceeded its estimated price of £2,000 to £3,000 when it was sold by Sotheby’s in March 2019 for £8,000. The title reflects Pasmore’s enduring interest in landscapes; the natural world inspired him throughout his long and varied career, and its continued influence can be felt in a number of his works. Some of his earliest pieces were lyrical landscapes in the style of J.M.W. Turner, an artist Pasmore greatly respected. Even after his focus shifted to abstraction, Pasmore continued to admire Turner’s work, and he even became Vice-President of the Turner Society in 1975.
Images on the Wall Sold by Roberys in 2019
Stromboli
This 1980 print more than tripled its estimated £1,500 to £2,000 when it was sold by Roseberys for £7,000 in March 2021. Although Pasmore claimed he never actively tried to paint the colours of the Mediterranean, he did acknowledge that “one is subconsciously affected by one’s environment.” This seems clear to see in the vibrant blue and organic, flowing shapes of Stromboli that evidently echo the sun and sea Pasmore would have been surrounded by in Malta.
The title of this piece is probably inspired by the island of the same name which sits off the north coast of Sicily, not that far from where Pasmore spent his final decades. The island contains Mount Stromboli, one of the four active volcanoes in Italy, and one that has been in almost continuous eruption for several thousand years.
Images on the Wall Sold by Roberys in 2019
The Pulse
Once again, the influence of Malta’s Mediterranean climate can be seen in the beautiful shades of blue and green of this 1985 print, which was sold by Christie’s in February 2014 for £7,000. The geometric shapes are reminiscent of some of Pasmore’s previous installation pieces, yet they’re far softer and more curved than in earlier works. They look as if they’re in constant motion, and the way they touch each other harks back to The Apollo Pavilion Pasmore designed in Peterlee, a combination of art and architecture on a grand scale that remains in place today.
The Pulse Sold by Christie’s in 2014
Burning Water
This 1982 print was sold by Christie’s in February 2014 for £7,000. Free from harsh shapes or jagged edges, the artist has instead chosen to use hypnotic swirls of gold punctuated by vibrant dots of colour. The overall effect suggests the sun setting over the ocean, giving the impression that the waves are on fire.
Much of Pasmore’s work from the Malta decades was made using sponges and spray paints, creating softer backgrounds and making shapes look as if they’re merging into each other. This soft, rhythmic quality is a stark contrast to the harsher, more static pieces the artist had made in the past.
Burning Water Sold by Christies in 2014
The Image In Search Of Itself
Sold for £6,500 by Roseberys in July 2020, this series of 11 screenprints from 1977 explores form and texture with an unusually muted colour palette of mostly browns, blacks, and creams.
The series might be the best illustration of what Victor Pasmore meant when he said: “I have tried to compose as music is composed, with formal elements which, in themselves, have no descriptive qualities at all.” Several organic shapes are combined into a cohesive whole in these prints, suggesting an attempt to create visual impact and lead the viewer to question the true meaning of art.
The Image In Search of Itself Sold by Roseberys in 2020
