Lot 43^*,AR

Sir Matthew Smith
(1879-1959)
Landscape 61 x 50.8 cm. (24 x 20 in.) (unframed)

Modern British and Irish Art

29 May 2013, 14:00 BST

London, New Bond Street

Sold for £7,500 inc. premium

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Penny Day

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Christopher Dawson

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Ingram Reid

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Sir Matthew Smith (1879-1959)

Landscape
signed with initials 'MS' (lower right)
oil on canvas
61 x 50.8 cm. (24 x 20 in.)
(unframed)
Painted circa 1932-37

Footnotes

Matthew Smith, as is sometimes stated, did not confine himself to still life and figure painting but worked over a wide range of different subject genres. Landscape painting in fact forms a significant part of his total oeuvre.

Smith had enjoyed a short two week holiday in Herefordshire in September 1932 when he took the opportunity to paint at least one plein air landscape before he left for the South of France arriving alone in Arles in October of the same year. Initially for three months he worked with great energy on what was to become an extended five year period of working on landscape from 1932 to 1937. Smith at that time acquired a car, which extended the range he could cover in searching for motifs in the area and more than sixty landscape paintings were produced during this period. He prefered to work in complete isolation, focussing intensely and working with the rapid 'premier coup' manner of execution that he applied to these pictures. This previously unknown painting, recently discovered in the U.S.A., is a typical example of his landsape work from this period although interesting and unique in its use of a vertical format for the canvas.

Please note that this work will be included in Dr. John Gledhill's ongoing catalogue raisonné of Matthew Smith's work and we are grateful to him for his assistance in compiling the catalogue entry.

Additional information

The 29 May sale was the departments most successful auction to date making almost £5m.
Furthermore, it was 90% sold by value with some staggering results achieved for fresh, competitively priced material sourced from private collections. Over half of sold lots soared above their high estimates, indicating that Bonhams is best positioned to secure the best price for your Modern British & Irish Art.
The variety on offer within this genre continues to delight buyers, proven by exceptional results for post-war masters such as Auerbach, Scully, Hockney and Freud whilst the early-mid century examples by Spencer, Lavery, Burra and Moore also exceeded expectation. We were proud to break our own world auction record twice over in the same sale for a pencil drawing by L.S. Lowry. Agecroft Regatta sold for £211,250, pipping The Organ Grinder (£151,250) to the title. The sculpture and Irish content were similarly contended for by the packed saleroom and busy telephones.
The cover lot Garden Path, Cookham Rise by Sir Stanley Spencer fetched an impressive £769,250 while the much admired Oil-bound Puffin by Lucian Freud commanded £385,250 on the day, with both returning to private collections.
We are delighted to now invite consignments for the forthcoming auction on 20 November 2013.
Please contact a member of the department or visit the sale webpage for further information.
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Sir Matthew Smith(1879-1959)Landscape 61 x 50.8 cm. (24 x 20 in.) (unframed)

Own a similar item?

Looking for a similar item?

Ask about this lot

Penny Day

Christopher Dawson

Ingram Reid

Sir Matthew Smith (1879-1959)

Footnotes

Additional information

Auction information

Lot Symbols

Related Departments

Conditions of Sale

Bid now on these items

Jessica Dismorr(British, 1885-1939)Self Portrait 55.4 x 40.1 cm. (21 3/4 x 15 3/4 in.)

Vanessa Bell(British, 1879-1961)Church of the Redentore, Venice 38.3 x 55.9 cm. (15 x 22 in.)

Dame Elisabeth Frink R.A.(British, 1930-1993)Warrior (Small Warrior) 36.4 cm. (14 3/8 in.) high

Winifred Nicholson(British, 1893-1981)Flowers - Sutton Veny 76.2 x 68.6 cm. (30 x 27 in.)

Laurence Stephen Lowry R.A.(British, 1887-1976)People at the Beach 31.3 x 40.4 cm. (12 3/8 x 16 1/8 in.)

Laurence Stephen Lowry R.A.(British, 1887-1976)Five Figures 26.5 x 18.2 cm. (10 3/8 x 7 1/4 in.)

Sir Matthew Smith
(1879-1959)
Landscape 61 x 50.8 cm. (24 x 20 in.) (unframed)

Jessica Dismorr
(British, 1885-1939)
Self Portrait 55.4 x 40.1 cm. (21 3/4 x 15 3/4 in.)

Vanessa Bell
(British, 1879-1961)
Church of the Redentore, Venice 38.3 x 55.9 cm. (15 x 22 in.)

Dame Elisabeth Frink R.A.
(British, 1930-1993)
Warrior (Small Warrior) 36.4 cm. (14 3/8 in.) high

Winifred Nicholson
(British, 1893-1981)
Flowers - Sutton Veny 76.2 x 68.6 cm. (30 x 27 in.)

Laurence Stephen Lowry R.A.
(British, 1887-1976)
People at the Beach 31.3 x 40.4 cm. (12 3/8 x 16 1/8 in.)

Laurence Stephen Lowry R.A.
(British, 1887-1976)
Five Figures 26.5 x 18.2 cm. (10 3/8 x 7 1/4 in.)