Portrait of Air Vice Marshall J.E. Johnson 1989
Portrait of Air Vice Marshall J.E. Johnson
Catalogue raisonné no. 529
Artist's CR 492
August, 1989
Kinkell
Bronze
Edition of 10
23 x 10 x10 inches / 0 cm
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Gerald Laing, The Scottish Gallery, London, London, 1990chevron_right
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Gerald Laing: Portraits, Thomas Gibson Fine Art Ltd, London, 1993chevron_right
Selected Citations and Comments
Johnny Johnson comes to the Highlands every year to fish and it was during one of these visits that I persuaded him to sit for me. I have long admired the pilots of his generation and as our highest scoring fighter ace of WWII, with 30 confirmed kills to his credit, he is a leading member of the group. In addition he is a distinguished author, having written several books on air combat, the first being published in 1951 He is a highly competitive man still, and I see him as an old gladiator, still clear eyed. He is a true archetype, and may fairly be compared with the famous sculpture of the Roman boxer/pugilist.
The base of the sculpture is decorated in a reference to the classic tradition[,] which helps to reaffirm the relationship between Johnny Johnson and the Boxer, with reliefs of a Heinkel flying over the Thames, a Spitfire coming out of the sun, and an RAF roundel. Both images are taken from his 1954 book, ‘Wing Leader’., 'Notes for the 1992 Retrospective Exhibition at The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, unpublished manuscript, 1993