Modern British Art

Trademark colourful picture features people depicted with a distinctive style of limbs.

An artist’s painting of his wife turned heads at a recent David Lay (18% buyer’s premium) auction in Penzance, selling over 10 times above estimate.

In 1946 the artist Laura Knight (1877-1970) was commissioned by the War Artists’ Advisory Committee to create a painting of the Nuremberg Trials.

Re: ‘In-cider knowledge needed…’, Letters, ATG Nos 2519/21.

Two works by ‘kitchen sink’ realist John Bratby (1928-92) were offered in the latest picture sale at Olympia Auctions (25% buyer’s premium).

A sight increasingly uncommon at auction – the trade outbidding private buyers on key lots of Modern art – occurred a number of times at Sworders’ (25% buyer’s premium) latest sale in this category.

Sale of works owned by the Scottish artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham reflects strong connections with other St Ives artists.

Ever since the auction record for David Jagger (1891-1958) was more than doubled six years ago by the striking portrait The Conscientious Objector, works by the elusive artist have been a highly valuable proposition.

A view of the town of Vence in the south of France by Roger Fry (1866-1934) caught the eye of several bidders at Cheffins (24.5% buyer’s premium).

I do hope Dr Mike Wain has better luck than I did in finding out who painted his picture ('In-cider knowledge needed…', ATG No 2519).

The strong prices for Modern British female artists keep rolling on. Among the notable results in the regions recently was a beach scene by Dorothea Sharp (1874-1955) that was among the star performers at Parker Auctions (25% buyer’s premium).

“From then on, nothing went right. My carpet designs were rejected and my textiles were not required."

Connecting two of Britain’s leading 20th century female artists, a pencil drawing by Dame Barbara Hepworth (1903-75) given to Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (1912-2004) as a wedding present was the highlight of Lyon & Turnbull’s recent auction of works from the latter’s collection.

Among Gilbert Ledward’s (1880-1960) most admired works is the sensuous nude, 'Awakening' or 'The Awakening', that today stands in Ropers Garden on the Chelsea Embankment.

Martin Heaps is the founder and owner of Collect Art in Lymm near Warrington.