JOHN BELLANY C.B.E., R.A., H.R.S.A. (SCOTTISH 1942-2013) BUCHENWALD PRISONER Signed, signed and dated 1967 verso, oil on board 45cm x 37cm (17.75in x 14.5in) Note: Bellany's early works of the 1960s were directly related to his upbringing in the deeply religious fishing community of Port Seton. His preoccupation with mortality and the recognition of evil, which tie into his feelings of Calvinistic guilt, dominate these early works and would continue to influence his work for the rest of his life. In 1967, Bellany travelled to East Germany as part of an official tour for those active in the field of culture. During the trip, he visited Buchenwald concentration camp, and what Bellany witnessed there would forever change his outlook on humanity. The experience of coming face-to-face with this chapter of history left a searing impression and led him to question the value of art in a world where such horror was possible. His work after this visit to Buchenwald reflects feelings of confusion and despair at the inhumanity he witnessed, and alludes to a loss of faith. His work post-Buchenwald explores the relationship between the human condition and religion, and struggles with issues of mortality, evil and the individual's capacity for survival. Works from this period are rare, and tend to be inhabited by prisoners with shaved heads and figures in blue and white striped pyjamas with frozen expressions. The suffering and destruction he witnessed at the camp eventually led Bellany to paint his autobiography through a series of nightmarish sea voyages populated by himself and anthropomorphic animals, for which he is now so well-known. His trip to Buchenwald can ultimately be regarded as a pivotal point in the artist's career; it was a trip that lay the foundation of his artistic and personal dogma.