Jeff Nuttall (1933–2004) was a British artist, poet and performer, and a leading figure in the UK’s 1960s counterculture. Active across painting, writing and performance, he was closely associated with the underground arts scene and is best known for his influential book Bomb Culture (1968).

Nuttall moved within a wide network of avant-garde artists and small-press figures, including connections to contemporaries such as Bill Butler (1934–1977), reflecting the collaborative spirit of the period’s alternative art and publishing circles.

His work remains highly regarded for its energy, experimentation and importance within post-war British art.

This painting come from a number of pieces of ephemera once belonging to Bill Butler. I will be listing the other items individually under the Category ‘Bill Butler Collection’.

Abstract gouache painting with green hills, rocky outcrops and flocks of sheep moving in lines around the landscape. Two other examples, from around the same period, similar in style and palette are held in the Brecon Museum.

Medium: gouache on lightly textured wove paper / card.  

Signature: Signed lower right and dated '01

Condition: Reasonable condition, with signs of age wear. There i foxing to the back, barely visible to the front. There are some areas of surface paint loss and minor craquelure to the bottom light section and the clouds upper right (see last images). Also some creasing to the top edge and corner and a slight undulating wave to the shape of the paper. Fading to the unpainted area behind the clouds and other minor surface marks / blemishes.

Framing: Unframed

Painting size: 50.7cm x 40.7cm to paper edge.