William Scott, R.A.

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner, the sculptor, Deborah Stern, in January 1958

The work is on wove paper which has not been laid down although it appears to be adhered to the mount in the upper two corners. The sheet undulates slightly across the surface. The surface of the sheet is naturally slightly smudged by the artist and is in good original condition. Held under glass in a dark wooden frame. Please telephone the department on 020 7293 5381 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."

The present work is registered with the William Scott Archive as no. 2312. Sarah Whitfield is currently preparing the Catalogue Raisonné of works in oil by William Scott. The William Scott Foundation would like to hear from owners of any work by the artist so that these can be included in this comprehensive catalogue or in future projected catalogues. Please write to Sarah Whitfield, c/o Sotheby's, 20th Century British Art Department, 34-35 New Bond Street, London, W1A 2AA.

The present work will be sold with a letter from the artist to Deborah Stern dated 5 Jan. 58. Deborah Stern was taught by Adrian Heath, who took the sculptor to Scott's studio in 1957. 

Scott's growing national and international success meant that by 1956 he was able to give up full time teaching at Corsham, and it was predominantly to drawing that he turned in order to re-energise his art. Scott himself remarked 'On occasions I have drawn as a release from painting, the economy in using paper, pencil, charcoal and crayon can help towards a greater gamble and high rewards. I also find that drawing can generate ideas more rapidly than painting.' (Norbert Lynton, William Scott, Thames and Hudson p.381). The present work conveys precisely this spontaneity and energy. The blurred and scratched charcoal marks give the distinct impression that ideas have been immediately marked down, only to be reworked and partially erased. As Scott commented 'My choice of working in charcoal and soft pencil has I think for its origin, the ease of correction that can be made, and yet the correction remains an integral part of the drawing'. (Ibid, p.389).

Although the medium is inherently flat, and charcoal can not be used like oil to work up a thick impasto, the scraped and scratched charcoal creates a sort of violent texture. The result is the appearance of great spontaneous activity and movement. This is weighed down by the very definite lines of the still life objects in the foreground. As the reviewer of the exhibition of Scott's drawings from the 1950s held at Martha Jackson Gallery concluded, 'It is the still life... that has been Mr Scott's most persistent and most rewarding image. In the earlier drawings, there is more attention lavished on representational detail... whereas in the later drawings, there is a more intense concentration and simplification. Objects and light, together with the spaces they occupy, are transmuted into a bold orchestration of shapes, texture and tonalities.' (Ibid, p.427).