George Spencer Watson, R.A., R.O.I.

Acquired at the artist’s memorial exhibition of 1934;

Jane Roberts and Max Rutherston, London, by 1991;

By whom sold, London, Christie's, 23 November 2004, lot 103;

Where purchased by the present owner.

London, Artist's memorial exhibition, The Fine Art Society, 1934, no. 34;

London, Royal Academy, 1909, no. 733;

Liverpool, Liverpool Academy, 1909, no. 827;

Paris Salon, 1911;

Dresden, Kunstsalon Emil Richter, 1912;

Dorset County Museum and Southampton Art Gallery, George Spencer Watson, 1981–2, no. 2.

George Spencer Watson was one of the leading portrait painters of the Edwardian period and after. His portraiture has a glamorous and elegant quality, which was both modern and reminiscent of Renaissance precedents. His Lady in Black of 1922 and Hilda and Maggie, a beautiful portrait of his wife and dog painted in 1911, are now at Tate, whilst other fine examples of his work can be found in the public collections of Bournemouth, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Preston, Plymouth and in the National Gallery of Canada.

‘Miss Monica Boyd’ was probably Monica Coleridge Boyd, daughter of the Church of England clergyman William Boyd and his wife Frances Penelope. In the 1911 census the Boyds lived at 66 Oxford Terrace in Paddington - Monica was listed as ‘single’ and with ‘private means’ aged 29.