Rare Belfast Figurative Oil by Con Campbell (b.1946) of Woodvale Glen, Belfast

Artist: CON CAMPBELL (b.1946)

“Woodvale Glen, Belfast”
Original Signed Oil – Rare Belfast Figurative Subject by the Artist

An atmospheric and unusual original painting by established Northern Irish artist Con Campbell (b.1946), depicting a solitary elderly woman walking through Woodvale Glen, Belfast.

The work is signed “Con Campbell” lower right and is additionally inscribed “Woodvale Glen” in pencil verso, firmly identifying the Belfast location.

This is a particularly interesting Campbell because it is far removed from the horse and animal paintings for which he became commercially best known.

THE ARTIST

Born in County Tyrone in 1946, Campbell moved to Belfast as a child and developed his artistic career there.

His first major work was exhibited at the Ulster Museum in 1972, an important early milestone in a career that subsequently saw his work exhibited throughout Ireland.

Although Campbell became particularly celebrated for his highly observed paintings of horses and animals, there is another important strand to his career.

During the Troubles, his focus shifted towards the human experience of Belfast and the conflict. Artist biographies record a body of work examining the Troubles, including images of soldiers on patrol and works exploring conflict through the perceptions of children. During the 1980s he was also commissioned to produce a number of street murals.

Campbell consequently has a substantial established secondary market. Ross’s Belfast continues to handle his work, with recent recorded results including £650 for Irish Wolfhound, £500 for The Grey Horse, £480 for The Old Half Door and £400 for The Squeezebox Player.

“WOODVALE GLEN”

This painting is particularly compelling because Campbell has placed a single elderly woman within an otherwise deserted Belfast landscape.

The figure is deliberately small against the towering trees, long roadway and dark boundary fence, creating a strong sense of solitude and atmosphere.

Campbell uses an unusually cool palette of deep blues, greens and greys, while the woman’s clothing and reddish-brown hair/head covering draw the eye directly towards the human figure.

Rather than simply functioning as incidental detail, the woman appears to be the human focus of the composition.

Campbell is known to have painted other specifically identified Belfast locations. Ross’s, for example, sold his signed oil The Pet Shop, Gresham Street, Belfast, demonstrating this less commonly encountered topographical/social strand within his work.

TROUBLES-ERA CONTEXT

The painting is undated, so I am not claiming that it depicts a specific Troubles incident.

However, its Belfast location, figurative subject, physical presentation and style appear consistent with Campbell’s earlier career, and it is particularly interesting when viewed alongside his documented body of work concerned with Belfast and the human condition during the Troubles.

This makes Woodvale Glen a considerably more unusual Campbell subject than the animal paintings most frequently encountered on the market.

DETAILS

Artist: Con Campbell (b.1946)
Title/Location: Woodvale Glen, Belfast
Medium: Oil on canvas mounted onto MDF board
Signature: Signed “Con Campbell” lower right
Inscription: “Woodvale Glen” in pencil verso
Period: Probably 1970s–1980s
Subject: Elderly woman walking through Woodvale Glen, Belfast
Frame: Gold coloured/Modern
Condition: Good vintage condition overall, with age-related wear consistent with age. Please examine photographs as part of the condition description.

An unusual opportunity to acquire a Belfast figurative work by Con Campbell, with a specifically identified location and strong connections to a less commonly encountered aspect of the artist’s career.

Collection preferred or delivery due to nature of the item being offered for sale.