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Chapmanpugh Modern Antiques
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Pair G Neumann 1881 & 1882 Venetian Oil Paintings
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Death by Glitterball Oil Painting Derek Carruthers
In General
'Death by Glitter Ball' is an original oil painting dated 2002 by Derek Carruthers (1935-2021) - a prolific and renowned British Post War and Contemporary artist who was born in 1935. This dramatic and humorous original oil painting shows a featureless lay figure or artists' wooden model of a human being - being squashed by a gigantic 2D glitterball at a disco! The bespoke frame has been hand painted by the artist in a slightly distressed style which works well with the style of the painting.
Similarities can be drawn with the famous disco hit 'Murder on the Dancefloor' (2001) by Sophie Ellis-Bextor where she sabotages a dance competition for her own gain. Poisoning fellow contestants and flirting with the judges whilst singing the lyrics with a wink, its hilarious in its horror undertones.
Derek Carruthers's work has been offered at auction multiple times. The record price for this artist at auction is £8217.14 for 'Composition' sold at Lyon & Turnball - London in 2021.
Carruthers was born in Penrith, Cumbria in 1935. Between 1953 and 1957, he studied (1953-1957) at the Fine Art Department of Kings College Durham University, under Victor Pasmore (1908-1998) CH, CBE the famous British artist and architect and leader in the abstract art movement in the 20th century.
Carruthers taught at Sunderland College of Art (1957 to 1964), Leicester College of Art (1964 to 1973) and at Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham where, as Professor of Fine Art (1973-1988), he pursued painting full time from 1988.
He was an artist constantly asking questions about the nature of art, examining its purpose and the place where the artist's mind meets the external appearance of the world. He explored the language of pure form, abstract space, 2 and 3 dimensions. narrative and concept, and personal and universal figuration. He was also fascinated with the human condition and how each individual experiences the world. Later in his career, Derek Carruthers used lay figures (artists' wooden models of human beings) in his art. He liked the 'sexless, ageless, raceless anonymity' of the artist's lay figures. He said:
'I was given an antique artist's lay figure and acquired several smaller faceless wooden lay figures. I knew Man Ray's "Mr. and Mrs. Woodman" series of photographs and enjoyed the irony and humour. So began the series of figure compositions which seem to sustain themselves as symbol and metaphor for aspects of the human condition.'
He used lay figures in his art from the early 1990s. They may be placed in a 2D space such as in this painting or they may be flat, insubstantial figures. The figures may be shown in large groups or maybe isolated as in this painting. The figures are always featureless and can be translated as an ironic humorous comment on life. Sometimes the figures represented profound humanity or sometimes in a more challenging and chilling way representing Orwellian tokens of humanity.
Derek Carruthers had many solo exhibitions including:
Univision Gallery, Newcastle (1957) Mobile Constructions on the Theme of Interfusion
Drian Gallery, London (1963), Artisan: Paintings by Derek Carruthers
Abbot Hall Gallery, Kendal (1980)
Derek Carruthers: Exhibition of Painting (1985-1988)
Bonington Gallery, Nottingham (1988)
Groups exhibitions include:
Abstracts, Hatton Gallery, Newcastle (1954)
Art, Machine and Environment - a Durham University Fine Art Department exhibition held at the Laing Art Gallery (1958). Other exhibitors to this exhibition, organised by Victor Pasmore, included Barbara Hepworth, Robin Day, Richard Hamilton, Terry Frost, Ben Nicholson and Paul Feiler. Carruthers exhibited three works - Relief (No.17), Mobile (No.18) and Space construction (No.21).
26 Young Sculptors, ICA, London (1961)
Construction England, (1963), a touring exhibition (England and Wales) organised by Arts Council of Great Britain. Construction England was an extension of the hugely successful touring (USA and Canada) exhibition, British Constructivist Art (1961-1962) when it returned home to the UK. British Constructivist Art exhibiting artists were Stephen Gilbert, Anthony Hill, Kenneth Martin, Mary Martin, Victor Pasmore, and American-born John Ernest. Alongside Carruthers, the additional Construction England artists were Maurice Agis, Scott Campbell, John Ernest, Garth Evans, Colin Jones, Peter Lowe, Matt Rugg and Gillian Wise.
Geometric Environment A.I.A Gallery, London (1962)
British Abstract Art of the 50s and 60s, Belgrave Gallery, London (1992)
His work is held in a number of public collections including Leeds Art Gallery, Leicester University, Cartwright Hall Art Gallery Bradford, and the Arts Council Collection at the Southbank Centre, London.
Year
2002.
Signed and Dated
Signed Derek Carruthers and dated 2002 - written in pen on the reverse.
Material
Original oil painting on a canvas stretched across a wooden frame.
Condition
The painting and frame are in very good condition. The bespoke frame has been hand painted by the artist in a slightly distressed style which works well with the style of the painting. There are paint marks on the reverse of the canvas. Please see photographs.
Dimensions ( L x W x H )
Frame Dimensions: 68.5 cm x 10cm x 68.5 cm or 26.96 inches x 3.93 inches x 26.96 inches
Painting Dimensions : TBC
Weight
To be confirmed.
Shipping
We use trusted couriers in the UK and across the World. We tend to use Royal Mail Special Delivery and Parcelforce 48 in the UK and Transglobal, DHL, Fedex and Royal Mail Worldwide. Purchases are very carefully wrapped and packed using high quality packing materials and extra strong boxes. All parcels are comprehensively insured and sent at the risk of Chapman Pugh Ltd.
Please be aware that there maybe customs and/or tax payments due on the parcels arrival in the buyers country. This varies from country to country. Any additional customs and/or tax payments are the responsibility of the buyer.
ALL SHIPPING COSTS ARE REFUNDED IF LESS THAN STATED BELOW:
Shipping Costs:
United Kingdom £15.45
Europe £58.83
United States and Canada £119.08
Rest of the World £218.94
Please message us for a precise shipping quote for Europe and the Rest of the World. It may be possible to obtain lower prices than those stated depending on the shipping address.
SellerChapmanpugh Modern Antiques
View all stock from
Chapmanpugh Modern Antiques
By appointment only
304 Ben Johnson House
Barbican
London
EC2Y 8NQ
Tel : 07739628028
Non UK callers : +44 7739628028
Get directions to Chapmanpugh Modern Antiques
'Death by Glitter Ball' is an original oil painting dated 2002 by Derek Carruthers (1935-2021) - a prolific and renowned British Post War and Contemporary artist who was born in 1935. This dramatic and humorous original oil painting shows a featureless lay figure or artists' wooden model of a human being - being squashed by a gigantic 2D glitterball at a disco! The bespoke frame has been hand painted by the artist in a slightly distressed style which works well with the style of the painting.
Similarities can be drawn with the famous disco hit 'Murder on the Dancefloor' (2001) by Sophie Ellis-Bextor where she sabotages a dance competition for her own gain. Poisoning fellow contestants and flirting with the judges whilst singing the lyrics with a wink, its hilarious in its horror undertones.
Derek Carruthers's work has been offered at auction multiple times. The record price for this artist at auction is £8217.14 for 'Composition' sold at Lyon & Turnball - London in 2021.
Carruthers was born in Penrith, Cumbria in 1935. Between 1953 and 1957, he studied (1953-1957) at the Fine Art Department of Kings College Durham University, under Victor Pasmore (1908-1998) CH, CBE the famous British artist and architect and leader in the abstract art movement in the 20th century.
Carruthers taught at Sunderland College of Art (1957 to 1964), Leicester College of Art (1964 to 1973) and at Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham where, as Professor of Fine Art (1973-1988), he pursued painting full time from 1988.
He was an artist constantly asking questions about the nature of art, examining its purpose and the place where the artist's mind meets the external appearance of the world. He explored the language of pure form, abstract space, 2 and 3 dimensions. narrative and concept, and personal and universal figuration. He was also fascinated with the human condition and how each individual experiences the world. Later in his career, Derek Carruthers used lay figures (artists' wooden models of human beings) in his art. He liked the 'sexless, ageless, raceless anonymity' of the artist's lay figures. He said:
'I was given an antique artist's lay figure and acquired several smaller faceless wooden lay figures. I knew Man Ray's "Mr. and Mrs. Woodman" series of photographs and enjoyed the irony and humour. So began the series of figure compositions which seem to sustain themselves as symbol and metaphor for aspects of the human condition.'
He used lay figures in his art from the early 1990s. They may be placed in a 2D space such as in this painting or they may be flat, insubstantial figures. The figures may be shown in large groups or maybe isolated as in this painting. The figures are always featureless and can be translated as an ironic humorous comment on life. Sometimes the figures represented profound humanity or sometimes in a more challenging and chilling way representing Orwellian tokens of humanity.
Derek Carruthers had many solo exhibitions including:
Univision Gallery, Newcastle (1957) Mobile Constructions on the Theme of Interfusion
Drian Gallery, London (1963), Artisan: Paintings by Derek Carruthers
Abbot Hall Gallery, Kendal (1980)
Derek Carruthers: Exhibition of Painting (1985-1988)
Bonington Gallery, Nottingham (1988)
Groups exhibitions include:
Abstracts, Hatton Gallery, Newcastle (1954)
Art, Machine and Environment - a Durham University Fine Art Department exhibition held at the Laing Art Gallery (1958). Other exhibitors to this exhibition, organised by Victor Pasmore, included Barbara Hepworth, Robin Day, Richard Hamilton, Terry Frost, Ben Nicholson and Paul Feiler. Carruthers exhibited three works - Relief (No.17), Mobile (No.18) and Space construction (No.21).
26 Young Sculptors, ICA, London (1961)
Construction England, (1963), a touring exhibition (England and Wales) organised by Arts Council of Great Britain. Construction England was an extension of the hugely successful touring (USA and Canada) exhibition, British Constructivist Art (1961-1962) when it returned home to the UK. British Constructivist Art exhibiting artists were Stephen Gilbert, Anthony Hill, Kenneth Martin, Mary Martin, Victor Pasmore, and American-born John Ernest. Alongside Carruthers, the additional Construction England artists were Maurice Agis, Scott Campbell, John Ernest, Garth Evans, Colin Jones, Peter Lowe, Matt Rugg and Gillian Wise.
Geometric Environment A.I.A Gallery, London (1962)
British Abstract Art of the 50s and 60s, Belgrave Gallery, London (1992)
His work is held in a number of public collections including Leeds Art Gallery, Leicester University, Cartwright Hall Art Gallery Bradford, and the Arts Council Collection at the Southbank Centre, London.
Year
2002.
Signed and Dated
Signed Derek Carruthers and dated 2002 - written in pen on the reverse.
Material
Original oil painting on a canvas stretched across a wooden frame.
Condition
The painting and frame are in very good condition. The bespoke frame has been hand painted by the artist in a slightly distressed style which works well with the style of the painting. There are paint marks on the reverse of the canvas. Please see photographs.
Dimensions ( L x W x H )
Frame Dimensions: 68.5 cm x 10cm x 68.5 cm or 26.96 inches x 3.93 inches x 26.96 inches
Painting Dimensions : TBC
Weight
To be confirmed.
Shipping
We use trusted couriers in the UK and across the World. We tend to use Royal Mail Special Delivery and Parcelforce 48 in the UK and Transglobal, DHL, Fedex and Royal Mail Worldwide. Purchases are very carefully wrapped and packed using high quality packing materials and extra strong boxes. All parcels are comprehensively insured and sent at the risk of Chapman Pugh Ltd.
Please be aware that there maybe customs and/or tax payments due on the parcels arrival in the buyers country. This varies from country to country. Any additional customs and/or tax payments are the responsibility of the buyer.
ALL SHIPPING COSTS ARE REFUNDED IF LESS THAN STATED BELOW:
Shipping Costs:
United Kingdom £15.45
Europe £58.83
United States and Canada £119.08
Rest of the World £218.94
Please message us for a precise shipping quote for Europe and the Rest of the World. It may be possible to obtain lower prices than those stated depending on the shipping address.
Price The price has been listed in British Pounds.
Conversion rates as of 27/NOV/2025. Euro & Dollar prices will vary and should only be used as a guide.
Always confirm final price with dealer. Or best offer
Category Antique Pictures / Engravings / Art
> Antique Oil Paintings
Date 2002
21st Century Antiques Material Oil Painting on Canvas
Origin English
Item code as1105a073 / Derek Carruthers
Status Sold
£850.00 
$1126.42 
€971.55 
$
€
Conversion rates as of 27/NOV/2025. Euro & Dollar prices will vary and should only be used as a guide.
Always confirm final price with dealer. Or best offer
Shipping information
Once payment is made items are packed with great care and attention using high quality packaging materials to ensure safe delivery and thereafter dispatched.
For parcels we use trusted couriers in the UK, Europe and Worldwide. We tend to use Royal Mail Special Delivery tracked and signed for and Parcelforce 48 tracked in the UK and Royal Mail, Transglobal, DHL and Fedex tracked in Europe and the rest of the world.
The delivery time in the UK for parcels is generally between 24 and 48 hours on working days. The delivery time in Europe is generally between 2 - 5 working days. The delivery time to the United States is generally 4 - 6 working days. The delivery time for the rest of the world is generally between 6 - 8 working days.
Furniture and larger items are sent in the UK and Europe using trusted couriers by road and by sea freight to the United States and the rest of the world. The delivery time varies from country to country.
Please contact us through Antiques Atlas for a quick quote for a precise delivery cost and timing for Europe, the United States or the rest of the world. It maybe possible to obtain a cheaper quote with a precise address.
All items are comprehensively insured whilst in transit and sent at the risk of Chapman Pugh Ltd.
For parcels we use trusted couriers in the UK, Europe and Worldwide. We tend to use Royal Mail Special Delivery tracked and signed for and Parcelforce 48 tracked in the UK and Royal Mail, Transglobal, DHL and Fedex tracked in Europe and the rest of the world.
The delivery time in the UK for parcels is generally between 24 and 48 hours on working days. The delivery time in Europe is generally between 2 - 5 working days. The delivery time to the United States is generally 4 - 6 working days. The delivery time for the rest of the world is generally between 6 - 8 working days.
Furniture and larger items are sent in the UK and Europe using trusted couriers by road and by sea freight to the United States and the rest of the world. The delivery time varies from country to country.
Please contact us through Antiques Atlas for a quick quote for a precise delivery cost and timing for Europe, the United States or the rest of the world. It maybe possible to obtain a cheaper quote with a precise address.
All items are comprehensively insured whilst in transit and sent at the risk of Chapman Pugh Ltd.
View all stock from
Chapmanpugh Modern Antiques
By appointment only304 Ben Johnson House
Barbican
London
EC2Y 8NQ
Tel : 07739628028
Non UK callers : +44 7739628028
Get directions to Chapmanpugh Modern Antiques
You may also be interested in
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Italian female nude painting signed Vellani Marchi
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French Village Landscape Oil by Jack Eichborn
Fishermen Chatting - Oil Painting by Einar Emland
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