Tag Archives: John Craxton

“Chinese Nell” and friends!

Queer British Art 1861-1967, Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1, until 1st October 2017

Solomon, Simeon 1840-1905
Sappho and Erinna in a Garden at Mytilene
1864
Watercolour on paper
330 x 381 mm
Tate. Purchased 1980


I have thought long and hard about this exhibition which marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act legislation in 1967 which meant partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality in England and Wales.

Paul Tanqueray (1905-1991)
Douglas Byng
1934
Vintage bromide print
239 x 193 mm
National Portrait Gallery
© Estate of Paul Tanqueray

Well done Tate Britain for its partnership with this year’s London Pride (Pride in London at Tate Britain, 2pm to 10pm 24th June). Given what still goes on in countries such as Chechnya we must be grateful for the passing of the act.

David Hockney
Life Painting for a Diploma
1962
Yageo Foundation
© Yageo Foundation

However, I do wonder, although admittedly progress has been made, how much things have really changed in our own multi-cultural society?  We know how differing faiths do not accept homosexuality as being right or acceptable.  Many families, whatever their ethnic background, struggle to accept a member of their family being gay. Gay people get homophobic abuse or are physically attacked for no reason other than they are “different”, even my partner and I have been hissed at in Westminster’s Edgware Road.

Angus McBean (1904-1990)
Quentin Crisp
1941
Bromide print
National Portrait Gallery (London, UK)
© Estate of Angus McBean / National Portrait Gallery, London

I recently saw a production of La Cage aux Folles at the Wimbledon Theatre.  I think the real time to celebrate acceptance and inclusion will be when LGBT people can say/sing the words from the show –

I am what I am
And what I am needs no excuses

– And know they don’t have to look over their shoulder. Impossible, or could we all work harder towards it?

John Craxton
Head of a Greek Sailor
1940
Oil on board
330 x 305 mm
London Borough of Camden
© Estate of John Craxton. All rights reserved, DACS 2016. Photo credit: London Borough of Camden

Among the exhibits in this somewhat politically correct exhibition is a monogrammed dressing gown that belonged to Noel Coward.  He was friends of Ian Fleming and his wife Ann and they both had houses on Jamaica.  In one of her letters Ann writes that Noel is referred to as “Chinese Nell” on the island *.  Need I say more?

Out
Keith Vaughan
Drawing of two men kissing
1958–73
Tate Archive
© DACS, The Estate of Keith Vaughan

 

*The Letters of Ann Fleming by Ann Fleming, Mark Amory (Editor), Collins Harvill, 1985

 

 

tate.org.uk

Brian Sewell

Brian Sewell: Critic & Collector, Christie’s London King Street, 27 September 2016

Matthias Stomer (Amersfoort c. 1600-after 1652 ?Sicily or northern Italy) Blowing Hot, Blowing Cold oil on canvas 46 ¾ x 54 in. (118.8 x 137.1 cm.) Estimate: £400,000-600,000 CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2016

Matthias Stomer (Amersfoort c. 1600-after 1652 ?Sicily or northern Italy)
Blowing Hot, Blowing Cold
oil on canvas
46 ¾ x 54 in. (118.8 x 137.1 cm.)
Estimate: £400,000-600,000
CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2016

It can really come as no surprise that the taste and connoisseurship of the legendary art critic, author and award-winning journalist, Brian Sewell (1931-2015) should be commemorated in this special sale at Christie’s next week.  The two hundred and forty-eight lots range from Old Master paintings and drawings to 19th and 20th century British Art and reflect many years of collecting.  Estimates range from £600 to £600,000 and I feel sure that some estimates will be well exceeded.

John Craxton, R.A. (London 1922-2009) Lucian Freud signed 'Craxton' (lower left), dated '26.10.46.' (lower right), inscribed 'Lucian' (upper right) and inscribed again and dated again 'Lucian Freud/poros 1946' (on the backboard) pencil 22 x 17 in. (55.8 x 43.2 cm.) Estimate: £50,000 – 80,000 CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2016

John Craxton, R.A. (London 1922-2009)
Lucian Freud
signed ‘Craxton’ (lower left), dated ‘26.10.46.’ (lower right), inscribed ‘Lucian’ (upper right) and inscribed again and dated again ‘Lucian Freud/poros 1946’ (on the backboard)
pencil
22 x 17 in. (55.8 x 43.2 cm.)
Estimate: £50,000 – 80,000
CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2016

Following his studies in Art History at the Courtauld Institute he went on to work at Christie’s in the picture department between 1958 and 1967.  His colleague Noël Annesley (Honorary Chairman, Christie’s UK) recalled: “Brian was a young man of 27 when he joined Christie’s. As his assistant, I got to admire him and to like him enormously. He evolved from a rather shy, cerebral art historian turned auction house expert into one of the most famous and widely read British art critics of our time. Brian was a man whose opinions were sought not just on art but on a wide variety of topics, reflecting the exceptional range of his interests. He could be relied upon to provide witty and often devastating judgements. A wonderful instructor, serious but humorous too, he set a standard for us all.”

 

The current UK Chairman Orlando Rock said: “Brian Sewell was, undoubtedly, one of Christie’s most colourful and learned former colleagues. What always motivated him was his love of great art and its power to move and inspire, combined with his characteristic and acerbic wit.”

Eliot Hodgkin (1905-1987) Twelve Pheasant Eggs signed, inscribed and dated 'Twelve Pheasant Eggs/by Eliot Hodgkin/2 VII 59' (lower right) tempera on board 10½ x 16 in. (26.5 x 40.8 cm.) Estimate: £20,000 - 30,000 CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2016

Eliot Hodgkin (1905-1987)
Twelve Pheasant Eggs
signed, inscribed and dated ‘Twelve Pheasant Eggs/by Eliot Hodgkin/2 VII 59’ (lower right)
tempera on board
10½ x 16 in. (26.5 x 40.8 cm.)
Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000
CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2016

I was fortunate to meet him on many occasions through colleagues and always found him to be a very approachable man who had a great sense of what is right and was not afraid to speak out when things were not.  Our world is in need of such voices today but sadly they appear to be becoming fewer.

Daniele Ricciarelli, called Daniele da Volterra (Volterra 1509-1566) Dido reclining, asleep black chalk, watermark crossbow in a circle (Briquet 749, Lucca, 1548), unframed 13 x 18 1/8 in. (33.2 x 45.9 cm.) Estimate: £100,000 - 150,000 CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2016

Daniele Ricciarelli, called Daniele da Volterra (Volterra 1509-1566)
Dido reclining, asleep
black chalk, watermark crossbow in a circle (Briquet 749, Lucca, 1548), unframed
13 x 18 1/8 in. (33.2 x 45.9 cm.)
Estimate: £100,000 – 150,000
CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2016

 

http://www.christies.com

‘A Poetic Eye’

John Craxton ‘A Poetic Eye: A life in art from Cranborne Chase to Crete’, Salisbury Museum, The King’s House, 65 The Close, Salisbury SP1, until 7th May 2016

John Craxton working on Pastoral for P.W., 1948 Photograph by Felix Man

John Craxton working on Pastoral for P.W., 1948
Photograph by Felix Man

Curated by Ian Collins, Craxton’s art executor, the exhibition tells the story of this exciting artist, a friend of Freud, whose work developed from the dark, brooding paintings and drawings he created during the war period on Cranborne Chase to the bright works that celebrated his love of Crete and the way of life there. It is a revelatory and well-deserved remembrance of a talented and characterful artist.

 

http://www.salisburymuseum.org.uk