- 54
Dame Laura Knight, R.A., R.W.S.
Description
- Dame Laura Knight, R.A., R.W.S.
- The Maiden
- signed l.l.: Laura Knight
- oil on canvas
- 61 by 51cm., 24 by 20in.
Provenance
Deaccessioned from Vancouver Art Gallery, 1950;
Alex Fraser Galleries, Vancouver;
Private collection, Vancouver and thence by descent to private collection, Salt Spring Island;
Private collection, U.K.;
Their sale, Tennants, 18 July 2015, lot 770, where purchased by the present owner
Exhibited
Literature
Condition
"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
To add further poignancy to the painting, the sitter is Eileen Mayo D.B.E. R.A. (1906-1994), an artist and designer who worked in England, Australia and New Zealand. Recognised with a Dame-hood at the end of her life, her early life was marred with tragedy. In 1927, without family and in dire financial circumstances, she came close to drowning herself in the Serpentine. However, her fortunes were changed through her meeting with Laura Knight, who employed her as a model and subsequently appeared in many of her iconic paintings, Blue and Gold (1927), The Golden Girl (1927) and Dressing for the Ballet (1927). She also appears with Laura in the Pathé film 'Mrs Laura Knight - The Famous Artist' in 1927.
A strikingly, beautiful young woman, Eileen became much in demand in the 1930s by Laura's contemporaries, including Dod Proctor, Vanessa Bell, Mark Gertler and Duncan Grant, who described her as 'his muse'. The story of Eileen's dramatic turn in fortunes was told in an article in The Milwaukee Senitel 1st June 1928: 'Saved from suicide; snatched from existence worse than death - starving, friendless, discouraged, Eillen Mayo tells how she battled with despair and suddenly found herself surrounded with prosperity and fame, her portrait the centre of attraction in the Royal Academy exhibition in London.' In The Maiden, we see a liberated Eileen gloriously rendered under a Cornish blue sky.