A GREAT BRITISH COLLECTION: The pictures collected by Sir David and Lady Scott, sold to benefit the Finnis Scott Foundation

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Lot 177
  • 177

Edward Ardizzone

Estimate
3,000 - 5,000 GBP
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Description

  • Edward Ardizzone
  • figures on a pier
  • signed l.l.: E. Ardizzone/ bears an inscription on an old label attached to the backboard: An early watercolour by my uncle/ Charles John White/ 15.VI.88
  • pen, ink, pencil and watercolour
  • 30 by 36 cm.; 11 ¾ by 14 ¼ in.

Provenance

Sotheby's, London, 11 November 1964, lot 60 where bought by Sir David Scott for £14

Condition

STRUCTURE The work is on wove paper which has been laid down. The sheet is confined between the two sides of the mount so it is impossible to see the edges. SURFACE The surface of the sheet is in good overall condition. FRAME Held under glass and presented within a cream mount in a simple wooden rectilinear 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

One of the most distinctive and original illustrators of the middle years of the twentieth century, Ardizzone is perhaps best known for his work during the Second World War. Probably the most prolific war artist of the period, over two hundred of his drawings are in the Imperial War Museum in London. He is also known for his frank and detailed war diaries. These cover his wide-ranging work, which took him from Sicily and Dunkirk on the continent to the Home Front and the Blitz, the latter strikingly captured in his studies of the London Underground during an air raid. His illustrative style transferred well to the tragedy of war, much of which he witnessed and which led him to comment that only the dead and the dying lay sufficiently still to be drawn. In contrast he also illustrated some of the most delightful children's books of the century, most famous of which were the 1936 classic Tim and the Brave Sea Captain and its sequel Tim and Lucy go to Sea of 1938.