Lot 63
  • 63

Sir Cedric Morris

Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 GBP
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Description

  • Sir Cedric Morris
  • Irises, Anemones, Carnations, Aquilegia and Wild Orchids
  • signed and dated 66
  • oil on canvas
  • 76 by 55.5cm.; 30 by 21¾in.

Provenance

Acquired directly from the Artist by the family of the present owner, and thence by descent

Condition

Original canvas. The canvas is sound. There is a very faint stretcher bar mark along the lower horizontal edge. There are a few isolated fine lines of craquelure in places, most noticeable to the blue pigment. There is a light layer of surface dirt to the work. Subject to the above the work is in very good overall condition. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals no obvious signs of retouching. The work is presented in a gilt moulded composite frame. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"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

Cedric Morris is today perhaps best known for his role as a teacher to the Twentieth’s century’s most celebrated portraitist Lucian Freud, but Morris holds an important position for his own art, as arguably the century’s most accomplished painter of flowers and flora. Abandoning the prospect of a career in music, Morris studied in Paris before the First World War, later moving to Cornwall and London where he met and fell in love with the painter Arthur Lett-Haines. In 1940 the pair moved to Benton End in Suffolk where he cultivated a stunning garden to rival that of Monet’s Giverney. Here he grew thousands of plants each year, with irises being a particular favourite, seen in his captivating Iris Seedlings (1943, Tate), and providing a lasting inspiration for his work.