Ralph Rumney

The board is in good overall condition. The paint surface has suffered some small abrasions along the right and lower edges in the lower right corner. There is a speck of paint loss in the upper left quadrant. Examination under ultra-violet light reveals infrequent spots of retouching in all four quadrants. Held in a simple wooden 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."

Born in Newcastle in 1934, Rumney was brought up in Halifax, the son of a vicar. Intellectually precocious, his avant-garde inclinations took him to Paris and Europe where he managed to seemingly meet everyone of note. His first one man exhibition in England was at the New Vision Gallery in London in 1956, and the following year he was the sole British participant in the founding of International Situationiste. He was subsequently expelled in 1959, although he remained in contact with many of his fellows throughout his life and has accounted for him being rather better known outside Britain. By the early 1960s he had become disillusioned with the gallery system and worked predominantly as a writer and broadcaster, mostly in France.

His artistic output was relatively large, although much is now lost as a result of his travels and the fact that, as his friends recalled, his finances and living conditions fluctuated wildly. However, this mildly peripatetic life outside Britain has meant that until recently his work was much overlooked. His paintings from the 1950s have a very distinctive character which naturally carries a good deal of European feeling, and offers a very useful reminder that British art of the period could be a good deal more cosmopolitan than is sometimes remembered.