Sir Stanley Spencer R.A.

Sir William Rothenstein
The Leicester Galleries, London, where acquired by Wilfrid A. Evill June 1946 for £10.10.0, by whom bequeathed to Honor Frost in 1963

London, The Leicester Galleries, Collection of Sir William Rothenstein, 15th June - 11th July 1946, cat. no.81 (as Portrait of a Woman);
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.36 (as Head of Lady) (probably);
London, The Arts Council of Great Britain, Drawings by Stanley Spencer, 1954-5, cat. no.13 (as Portrait of Phyllis Grant);
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.87 (as Portrait of Mrs. Grant);
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.15 (as Portrait of Mrs Grant);
Worthing, Worthing Art Gallery, Sir Stanley Spencer R.A., 9th September - 7th October 1961, cat. no.7 (as Portrait of Mrs. Grant);
Brighton, Brighton Art Gallery, The Wilfrid Evill Memorial Exhibition, June - August 1965, cat. no.214 (as Portrait of Phyllis (Mrs Roger) Grant).

The sheet is sound and appears to be laid down on card. The sheet may be very slightly discoloured. Otherwise the work is in excellent original condition. Held under glass in a stained wood frame with a cream mount. Please telephone the department on 020 7293 6424 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 closely relates to the oil portrait of the same sitter (see Keith Bell, Stanley Spencer A Complete Catalogue of the Paintings, London, 1992, illustrated p. 324), both showing Mrs Grant with her hair pulled up with combs. Spencer painted the oil circa 1920-1 and the drawing was likely executed around the same time.

While the present work was exhibited in the Brighton show as a Portrait of Phyllis (Mrs Roger) Grant, Bell identifies the sitter as the wife of Arthur Grant of Heronsgate, Bourne End, Bucks, who was also the sister-in-law of Lady Slesser.