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John Atkinson Grimshaw
Description
- John Atkinson Grimshaw
- The Cradle Song
- dated and signed l.r.: 1878+/ Atkinson Grimshaw; further inscribed, signed and dated on the reverse: The Cradle Song. Atkinson Grimshaw. At the Castle by the Sea, Scarborough 1878+
- oil on canvas
- 82.5 by 122cm., 32½ by 48in.
Provenance
Christie's, London, 3 June 1999, lot 70, where purchased by the present owner
Exhibited
London, Christopher Wood , The Artistic Interior - Studios and Rooms in English and European Art circa 1850-1920, 1991, no.16
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
In the 1870s Grimshaw painted a handful of interior paintings, The Cradle Song being one of the largest, twice the size as the otherwise comparable The Chorale of the same year. Both pictures depict the large metal chargers, Chinese painted fans, blue-and-white vases and plate and the Persian carpet. The antique carved cradle in The Cradle Song was probably the one in which Grimshaw's children were rocked to sleep; his daughter Elaine was born in 1877 and would have been in her infancy when her father began to paint the picture. The title of the painting is taken from William Blake's poem. A smaller version of The Cradle Song is dated 1877 (Christie's, 2 July 1971, lot 140 measuring 11 by 20 inches).
The model for The Cradle Song was Miss Agnes Leefe, a former actress from the Leeds Grand Theatre who joined the Grimshaw household around 1879 when she became governess to the children. She soon became Grimshaw's model and perhaps also his studio assistant but her life was cut short when she died in 1890 at Knostrop Hall, nursed by Mrs Theodosia Grimshaw.