ABSTRACT
H ilto n 's p a in tin g h a d a tta in ed its full m a tu re character by the tim e of h is first re trospective a t L on d o n 's ICA in 1958. This exhib ition conso lida ted h is position , an d the fo llow ing years saw h im rew ard ed w ith inc reasing in stitu tiona l p rom otion , as w ell as m u seu m p u rchases an d rising prices. In focusing u p o n such p a in terly abstraction , w e are confron ted b y the ques tion of h o w w e even ad eq u ate ly describe an d analyse the effect of such w ork , let a lone h istorically g ro u n d an d exp lain it, all th o rn y issues ra ised in th is chapter.
