Sir Stanley Spencer R.A.

The Leicester Galleries, London, where acquired by Wilfrid A. Evill March 1946 for £47.5.0, by whom bequeathed to Honor Frost in 1963

London, The Leicester Galleries, Winter Exhibition of Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, February - March 1946, cat. no.19 (as David);
Leeds, Temple Newsam House, Paintings and Drawings by Stanley Spencer, 25th July - 7th September 1947, cat. no.94 (as David and Goliath);
London, The Home of Wilfrid A. Evill, Contemporary Art Society, Catalogue of Part of a Collection of Oil Paintings, Water Colours, Drawings and Sculpture Belonging to W. A. Evill, Esq., December 1947 - February 1948, cat. no.6;
London, The Tate Gallery, Contemporary Art Society, The Private Collector, 23rd March - 23rd April 1950, cat. no.258 (as David and Goliath);
London, The Arts Council of Great Britain, Drawings by Stanley Spencer, 1954-5, cat. no.7, illustrated pl.I (as David);
Hampstead, The Home of Wilfrid A. Evill, Contemporary Art Society, Catalogue of the Greater Portion of a Collection of Modern English Paintings, Water Colours, Drawings and Sculpture Belonging to W. A. Evill, March 1955, cat. no.2;
London, The Home of Wilfrid A. Evill, Contemporary Art Society, Pictures, Drawings, Water Colours and Sculpture, April - May 1961, (part IV- section 1) cat. no.33;
Worthing, Worthing Art Gallery, Sir Stanley Spencer R.A., 9th September - 7th October 1961, cat. no.4;
Brighton, Brighton Art Gallery, The Wilfrid Evill Memorial Exhibition, June - August 1965, cat. no. 238;
London, Royal Academy, Stanley Spencer RA, 20th September - 14th December 1980, cat. no.13, illustrated p.45.

The following condition report has been compiled by Jane McAusland FIIC, Conservator and Restorer of Art on Paper: Support This drawing on a sheet of wove paper is fully laid down onto a board. It is mounted, and stuck to overlay of mount. The condition is good. Medium The condition of the medium is also good. Note: This work was viewed outside studio conditions. For enquiries about the present work please contact the department on +44 (0)20 7293 6424.
"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."

Executed circa 1912, this seems to have been done in response to a subject suggested for the Slade Sketch Club. Often taking relatively obscure Biblical references as the theme, these works were to be shown anonymously and were adjudicated on by Professor Tonks. It seems that this process caused a certain trepidation amongst the students, but even more worrisome was the thought that one's work might be ignored or thought unworthy of comment.

For Spencer the choices of Biblical subject matter must have been a home from home, but even by his own standards, his interpretation of the story in the present work is extremely obscure. However, one of Evill's notes on his Brighton catalogue helps to elucidate this, and we must assume that the information came from the artist:

'This is a very early drawing, probably about 1912, and represents, so I am told, a struggle between David's lesser and higher self...'( Note by W.A.E. to cat. no.238, Brighton 1965).

David's seduction of Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, and his subsequent order that Uriah be abandoned in battle, causing his death, was the cause of much repentance by David, but Spencer's highly unusual interpretation is a nevertheless a very potent vehicle for his abilities as a draftsman. David's 'higher self' sits atop his 'lesser self', to whom he is chained, and although armed, he seems to be holding a sheaf of wheat in his hand. The 'lesser self' is also seemingly being pinned down by a female figure, presumably Bathsheba.