George Pol GEORGHIOU (Cypriot) - Quartier Res... Lot n° 44

George Pol GEORGHIOU Cypriot, 1901 - 1972 Quartier Reserve (Απαγορευμένη περιοχή), 1953 oil on wood signed lower right A label with the title “Out of Bounds” and “Quartier Reserve” as well as the date ’53 which is hand-written and signed by Pol Georghiou can be found on the reverse 43 x 53 cm 57 x 67 cm (w/frame) Provenance private collection, Cyprus Exhibited We are almost certain that this painting was also exhibited at the Bernheim-Jeune Gallery in Paris, 30th April - 18th May 1955 State Gallery of Contemporary Cypriot Art 15 April - 16 May 1999 and the Hellenic Centre, London 29 May - 27 June 1999 Literature - George Polyviou Georghiou, George Pol. Georghiou 1901-1972, 1999, Cultural Services, Ministry of Education and Culture, The A.G. Leventis Foundation, Page 96 (illustrated) - George Polyviou Georghiou, George Pol. Georghiou 1901-1972 Second Edition, 1999, Cultural Services, Ministry of Education and Culture, The A.G. Leventis Foundation, Page 96 (illustrated) - George Polyviou Georghiou, Reno Wideson, Works and Photo Documentation, 2001, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, Page 40 (illustrated) - George Polyviou Georghiou, George Polyviou Georghiou 1942-1964, 2001, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, Pages 140-141 (illustrated) NOTES Pol Georghiou was born, lived and worked for most of his life in his beloved city of Famagusta which became the subject matter for a lot of his paintings. Worth a mention is the fact that for many years, George Pol Georghiou’s studio was located within the old city of Famagusta. The “Quartier Reserve” painting depicts a scene within the walled old city of Famagusta with the busy coffee shop to the foreground, houses and other buildings further back and the church of St. Peter and Paul in the background towards the left. A similar scene but from a slightly different angle can be seen in a photograph taken by his friend and associate Reno Wideson, with whom he travelled extensively all over Cyprus between the years of 1949 to 1958. The title "Quartier Reserve"or otherwise "Out of Bounds" derives from the fact that around the early 50's the Middle East as well as Cyprus entered a new face of turbulence and the UK government started pouring troops into Cyprus. As such for security purposes certain areas of the major towns of Cyprus such as bars and red-light districts were places where troops were forbidden by the military to visit. Such places became "Out of Bounds". Please note that even though the artist’s signature has become faint over the years (as is the case with a few of Pol Georghiou’s paintings) it can still be made out. We strongly believe that the “Quartier Reserve” painting is one of if not the most important paintings by George Pol Georghiou that has ever come up for auction.