Sir John Lavery, R.A., R.H.A., R.S.A.

The Artist, and thence by descent to the present owner

Portrait of Donner: Original canvas. There is a pinhole along the centre of the left edge, the surface is dirty, there are some scuff marks to the edges and a minor speck of paint loss to the left of the sitter's head, otherwise in original condition. Under ultraviolet light, there appear to be no signs of retouching. Unframed.
"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 sketch was painted circa 1919, when Lavery visited his old friend Patrick William Adam at 'Ardilea', his home near Edinburgh. Adam was the young Donner's great-uncle. Lavery met the Donners when he painted Patrick's older sister, Stella before the outbreak of the Great War. Son of the first Finnish Ambassador to Great Britain, Donner (1904-1988) was naturalized and read English at Exeter College, Oxford before entering parliament first as Tory MP for West Islington in 1931. He took the safer seat of Basingstoke in 1935 and was knighted in 1953. Disillusioned with politics, he retired from the Commons in 1955. His memoir, Crusade, A Life against the Calamitous Twentieth Century was published in 1984.

Kenneth McConkey