Interior, ca. 1961

Colin Hayes RA (1919 - 2003)

RA Collection: Art

This is an atmospheric depiction of one of the artist’s daughters reading in their kitchen at home. Hayes presents us with a quiet moment, his daughter glimpsed over the kitchen table. She is unselfconscious, unaware of being painted, completely absorbed by her book. This painting is as much about the mood of the moment as about the room’s physical appearance. Hayes believed artworks should convey an idea; if a painting only captured the physical appearance of a scene, the artist would dismiss it as mere illustration. Here Hayes evokes the peaceful sanctuary of the family kitchen, an understated space of familiarity and calm.

Hayes was mainly known as a landscape painter and was much inspired by his travels to north Africa during the Second World War and later by trips to Greece and India. The vivid colours and effect of light in these distant lands informed his painting throughout his life. Here, flashes of pink and vivid blue hint at his love of colour. The contrast between the brightness of the table and the dark clothing of his daughter demonstrates his attention to the way the light falls across the room. The individual brushstrokes and flat patches of colour imbue the painting with an abstract quality, also a feature of Hayes’ landscapes. By reducing details, the artist emphasises the aura of the work, suppressing specifics in favour of evoking an overall effect – a still and reflective atmosphere.

The fact that the sitter is apparently unaware of her father’s presence and his act of painting her reflects the character of the artist himself. Hayes was a quiet, reticent character – traits which enabled him to study his daughter and her surroundings unnoticed. The simple interior and tranquillity of the scene reflect Hayes’ gentle nature. This glimpse into his home reflects more than just a setting – it illuminates the artist himself, the way he sees the world, and the way he wishes the world to see him.