- 76
Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson, A.R.A.
Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson, A.R.A.
- Portrait of Hannen Swaffer
- signed
- oil on canvas
- 110 by 81.5cm.; 43¼ by 32in.
- Executed in 1938.
Provenance
Sale, Phillips London, 23rd September 1997, lot 146
Laporte, P.L.C.
Sale, Sotheby's London, 16th February 2005, lot 111, where acquired by the present owner
Laporte, P.L.C.
Sale, Sotheby's London, 16th February 2005, lot 111, where acquired by the present owner
Condition
Original canvas. The canvas is very slightly uneven in the corners, and the canvas undulates slightly. There is an old tear approximately 8cm long in the lower left quadrant, with some associated minor abrasion and paint loss. Subject to the above the work is in good condition.
Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals no obvious signs of restoration or retouching.
The work is held within a silver painted period wood frame.
Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
Hannen Swaffer (1879-1962), 'Swaff', was a journalist, editor and drama critic. During the first part of his career he worked for the Daily Sketch as Mr. Gossip and the Sunday Times as a contributor to Plays and Players. In 1926 he became the drama critic for the Daily Express and in 1931 he joined the Daily Herald. Also known for his column in Variety and his work on the Daily Mirror, he was affectionately known as the 'Pope of Fleet Street'.
He carefully cultivated a reputation as a 'freewheeling Fleet Street gadabout': an eccentric dresser, wit and cultured spiritualist. His contemporary Frank Scully recalled that 'Swaff lived above the Variety office with a Ouija board of directors and a copy of Karl Marx. Swaff would sound off dressed in a blue serge suit, a blue serge overcoat, a black dirty-shirt hider and a black soft hat.'
He carefully cultivated a reputation as a 'freewheeling Fleet Street gadabout': an eccentric dresser, wit and cultured spiritualist. His contemporary Frank Scully recalled that 'Swaff lived above the Variety office with a Ouija board of directors and a copy of Karl Marx. Swaff would sound off dressed in a blue serge suit, a blue serge overcoat, a black dirty-shirt hider and a black soft hat.'