John Piper

Bucholz Gallery, New York, where acquired by the previous owner
Their sale, Christie's London, 21st November 1995, lot 61
Sale, Christie's London, 7th June 2001, lot 102, where acquired by the present owner

New York, Bucholz Gallery, John Piper, February 1948, cat. no.35, illustrated in the exhibition catalogue;
Washington, D.C., Phillips Memorial Gallery, John Piper Recent Paintings, March - April 1948, cat. no.16.

S. John Woods (intro.), John Piper, Paintings, Drawings and Theatre Designs 1932-1954, Faber & Faber, London, 1955, p.155, illustrated pl.165.

The sheet is sound. It does not appear to be laid down and undulates slightly. There appears to be a very small surface abrasion near the centre of the upper edge and another near the centre of the lower edge. There is a very small tear on the right hand side of the collage in the centre, otherwise the work appears in good overall condition. Held in a gilt plaster frame with a linen inset under glass; unexamined out of frame. Please telephone the department on 0207 293 6424 if you have any questions about 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 depicts the memorial to Sir John Poley and his wife, Abigail, in the church of the Holy Trinity in Boxted, Suffolk. Although they had died in 1638 and 1652 respectively, the monuments were not executed until many decades later when the Poley family added a number of features to the church in a conciously earlier style, perhaps to suggest a longer and higher social position in the area.

Piper produced a related print of the present work entitled Stones and Bones XX (see Orde Levinson, John Piper: The Complete Graphic Works, Faber and Faber, London, 1987, cat. no.309, illustrated p.102).