Michael Ayrton, British 1921-1975- Maze Maker III, 1964/65; bronze, edition...

Michael Ayrton, British 1921-1975- Maze Maker III, 1964/65; bronze, edition 7/9, 26cm high (including base), (ARR) Provenance: Bonhams, London, Modern British and Irish Art, 22nd November 2016, Lot 199. Note: Michael Ayrton was British artist who produced work in a wide range of media, including sculptures, prints and paintings, over the course of his career. His style has been influenced by artists including Graham Sutherland, Pavel Tchelitchew, and Henry Moore. Indeed, it was after Moore’s advice that Ayrton began to seriously engage in sculpture. Ayrton was particularly preoccupied with the Classical Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus, which he connected with his struggles and ambitions as an artist. This artwork, entitled Maze Maker III, is a further example of Ayrton’s interest in the story of Daedalus, which in this instance is focused on his construction of the labyrinth to contain the Minotaur. The figures of Daedalus and the Minotaur, alongside other mythological characters, repeatedly recur in bronzes made by Ayrton, making this theme a key feature of Ayrton’s most famous work.