22nd Jun, 2019 11:30 GMT/BST

Modern & Contemporary Art

 
Lot 26
 

26

Edith Lawrence (1890-1973) ''Houses on a Hillside'' Linocut, 30cm by 25cm (unframed)...

Edith Lawrence (1890-1973)
"Houses on a Hillside"
Linocut, 30cm by 25cm (unframed)

Provenance: From the Estate of Edith Lawrence

See illustration

Born in Surrey in 1890, Edith Lawrence was a painter, designer, printmaker and teacher. She attended the Slade School of Art from 1910- 14, where she was a prizewinning student. She went on to spend a period of time in St. Ives and returned to the Slade in 1916 where she studied under the Canadian born artist Percyval Tudor Hart and also began exhibiting at the Royal Academy and New English Art Club. In 1917 she took up a teaching position at Runston Hill School and in 1920 she met Claude Flight, the founder of the Grosvenor School of Modern Art.

Inspired by Futurism and the spirit of Art Deco, Claude Flight developed the use of linocut printing to celebrate the rapidity of the modern world. In 1925 he wrote;

"Time seems to pass so quickly nowadays. Everybody is in a hurry… this speeding up is one of the psychologically important features of today. Traffic problems, transport problems, everybody is on the rush either for work or pleasure; business is hustle, the Cinema all movement."

The Grosvenor School artists such as Edith Lawrence, Cyril Power, Sybil Andrews, Lill Tsudi and Dorrit Black responded with stylish depictions of modern life, created in striking clean-cut blocks of colour. Immortalising the rapidly changing world of the 1920s and 1930s, they captured the sprit of the time celebrating transport, sporting and leisure subjects, such as "Cricket" by Edith Lawrence, lot 32 and "The Quartette" by Dorrit Black, lot 33.

In 1925 Edith moved into Claude Flight's studio and the two shared an exhibition of textiles and linocuts at the Redfern Gallery in 1926. In 1927 they set up an interior decorating business trying out different methods of linocut, wallpaper, wall hangings and textiles. Throughout their time the two created many linocuts together.

Edith spent many summers with Claude at his Neolithic chalk cave in the banks of the Seine at Chantemesle that he purchased for 300 francs after his time in France during WWI. Here he taught the art of the linocut at informal summer schools and it is thought that students sent examples of their work to them for appraisal.

During WWII Claude and Edith lived in London working from their studio off Baker Street. Later fleeing from the blitz they, moved to a cottage in Donhead St Andrew, Wiltshire which proved to be a sensible move given that shortly after their studio was bombed destroying all of Claude's lino printing blocks.

Flight suffered from a stroke in 1947 and had to stop working, Edith nursed him until his death in 1955.
She spent much of her later life at Worth Matravers, the surrounding area becoming a source of inspiration for her.
In 1973, the year of her death Edith held a solo exhibition at the University of Hull which was later followed by a memorial exhibition in the same year at the Parkin Gallery dedicated to both Edith and Claude.

Her nephew has fondly said that she was a loveable nuisance disinherited by the family for running away to live with a married man (Claude Flight) in a cave on the Seine. He recollects her making and rolling her own tobacco, that she was "wonderfully stubborn, pragmatic and welcoming with a warm heart".

Sold for £350
Estimated at £300 - £500


 

. Very slight time staining to paper. Creasing to top right hand corner and to lower right hand side edge. One medium to large sized spot of foxing evident below the house within the white area to the lower left hand side. Good colour depth.

 


We are happy to provide Condition Reports to prospective buyers, but would welcome your request as soon as possible, preferably at least 48 hours before the Day of Sale. We cannot guarantee a reply to any requests made within 48 hours of the start of the auction. The absence of a Condition Report from a lot does not mean that the lot is in perfect condition. A Condition Report is an honest expression of our opinion, not a statement of fact and is provided as a service to the seller. All lots are available on public view ahead of an auction and we encourage prospective buyers to inspect an item in person where possible. Our Condition Reports are not prepared by professional conservators, restorers, or engineers, and are prepared with the naked eye unless otherwise stated.

Regarding Pictures, Prints and Works on Paper, works are not examined out of the frame, unless specifically stated. Tennants Auctioneers do not cover damage to gilded wood or plaster picture frames, or to picture frame glass whilst the item is in our possession.

We accept no liability for the opinions expressed in any Condition Report.

Auction: Modern & Contemporary Art, 22nd Jun, 2019

Modern & Contemporary Art

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