Lot 20
  • 20

John Atkinson Grimshaw

Estimate
150,000 - 200,000 GBP
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • John Atkinson Grimshaw
  • A November Morning
  • signed and dated l.r.: Atkinson Grimshaw 1883+
  • oil on canvas
  • 51 by 76cm., 20 by 30in.

Provenance

Richard Green, London, where purchased by the father of the present owner

Condition

This picture is unlined and in excellent condition with clear colours throughout. There are no signs of craquelure. The picture is clean and ready to hang. UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT There are small areas of retouching in the corners and to the centre of the top edge where the frame rebate has rubbed the paint surface slightly. There are very minor flecked retouchings to the road and a very minor horizontal line of flecked retouching between the trees - probably to fill very small cracks. FRAME Contained in a simple wooden paint-washed frame.
"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

John Atkinson Grimshaw painted a series of autumnal street scenes throughout the 1880s, predominantly painted in and around the suburbs of Leeds. In these images of roads and lanes between high stone walls hiding mansions and villas from prying eyes, the scenes are deserted except for a solitary female figure making her way down a leaf and puddle strewn road. These paintings are perhaps the most evocative and typical of the artist, who was unrivalled in his depiction of the evening gloaming and the first light of the morning. The busy traffic of horses and carts bringing goods into the city from the outlying farms have left their impressions in the damp soil of the road the day before. The gateways of the large villas remain closed to the outside world as the households within begin to stir. There is an emotive sense of stillness and calm which pervades these golden images of morning light. The subject is probably not a specific locality, but the effects of light upon a generic suburban street and the houses are probably an amalgam of different buildings. Unlike the pictures of the great cities of Britain and the fishing villages that Grimshaw painted, there are no landmarks in A November Morning to place the exact location and the picture is therefore a more abstract summary of glorious light and autumnal splendour. The sense of mystery evoked by the appearance of the lonely road is further enhanced by the anonymity of the scene with the exact location withheld. The Victorians had a huge appetite for such romantic intrigue and it was a prevalent theme in the novels, plays and poetry of the age. Grimshaw himself was inspired by the writings of Wordsworth, Browning, Shelley and in particular Tennyson.

Grimshaw painted at least one other November Morning in 1883 (Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead) which has a  similar composition with a lone housemaid making her way to work with her basket of provisions. Both revel in the glory of a chill autumnal morning where the first glow of the waking sun has burnished the sky with its radiance. A symphony of russets, gold and pale moss greens the painting is a celebration of the colours of the dying year. Mist lingers in the damp air where the road sweeps round to the left.