Currently on view at our London Gallery, we are delighted to present a 2023 preview; 'A Not So Bleak Midwinter'. With pieces on display from almost every department, the Cecil Court Gallery are hosting a super-preview, in which we will showcase some of the top lots of a range of sales coming up in the new year.
9 December 2022
We are delighted to present a range of highlights from upcoming sales in 2023 including Design, Out of the Ordinary, Fine Interiors, Modern and Contemporary Art, Asian Art and Old Master, British & European Art. Featuring works of art, furniture, silverware, and much more, we are pleased to brighten your winter days with a broad range of lots on offer in this one-off preview. The exhibition takes place over two floors of our central London gallery in Cecil Court until 21 December. Whether you're a collector of the contemporary, obscure or traditional, we have something for everyone to appreciate.
Inside our London Gallery in Cecil Court
Paul Nash (1889-1946), A path through the woods, signed 'Paul Nash' l.l., pen and ink and watercolour over pencil, 38 x 27cm, £5,000-7,000
Amongst our collection of Modern & Contemporary Art, we are pleased to present 'A path through the woods' by artist Paul Nash. Paul Nash was one of the most significant British landscape artists of the 20th century. He reimagined the English Landscape in a modern manner, turning the English landscape he painted into an echo-chamber of his own mind. A place where hopes, dreams and fears came together. Nash believed that the natural world around him was alive and sentient and nothing appealed to him more than trees. This elegant lyrical watercolour in Nash’s signature ochre and blue hues shows a hilly landscape with a tangle of trees. Our picture department feel this dream-like landscape will do well at auction.
A Liberty & Co Tudric pewter and enamel mantel clock, designed by Archibald Knox, model no.0609, £1,000-1,500
This is one of Archibald Knox best known works between 1896-1900, and is to be sold in our January Design sale. Knox worked for Liberty as a designer for the silver studio. From 1900, he worked on all areas of design for Liberty, but most notably as the main designer for silver and jewellery for the ‘Cymric’ range (1898-1906) and pewter for the ‘Tudric’ range (1902-1906). Knox was well known for his ‘Celtic’ designs and highly influenced by the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Interestingly the clock was given to Miss Rewa B Lloyd as a twenty-first birthday present, in 1910 and comes directly to sale from her descendants.
Circle of Kneller, Portrait of Sir Martin Lister, three-quarter-length, in armour holding a staff of office, inscribed Sir Martin Lister l.r., oil on canvas, 127x 103 cm, £4,000-6,000
This dashing portrait dating from the early 18th century, in our April Old Master, British & European Art auction, has been likened to the work of Sir Godfrey Kneller, one of England’s pre-eminent portraitists of the age, suggesting the artist was in his circle or possibly even studio. Kneller painted portraits on an industrial scale with a thriving studio full of assistants. He painted royalty, the nobility and major figures of the day, his work disseminating far and wide through the studio and copies. His style was very influential on the fashion of portraiture of the day, making his style synonymous with the age. Here, we see a dashing officer in armour, the richness of the extravagant red wrap suggest a gentleman of some standing and that this is not just a journeyman’s portrait, but one over which the artist has taken great care and attention. The officer holds a staff of office, again signifying his status while in the distance, a cavalry skirmish is depicted, celebrating a victory for which the sitter was responsible. As often happens with ancient portraiture, an erroneous inscription has been added to suggest the sitter is Sir Martin Lister, however, he died in 1670 long before this portrait was painted. The painting is a fine and decorative example of early 18th century British portraiture which we anticipate will sell well in the current market.
Window Display at Sworders London Gallery
To be included in our May 2023 Asian Art sale, we have on view a painting; School of Hishikawa Moronobu (1618-1694). Also on display we are pleased to present a Grand Tour Specimen marble centre table from our Fine Interiors department, a Collection of letters relating to the American Revolution, including Cornwallis and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart from our upcoming Books and Maps sale and a range of curiosities from our annual Out of the Ordinary sale.
School of Hishikawa Moronobu (1618-1694), 19th century
To download a full list of lots on view for the preview, please click here
A Not So Bleak Midwinter is on view at Sworders London until 21 December, Monday-Friday from 10am-4pm
For more information about our 2023 Preview at Sworders London, please contact london@sworder.co.uk | 020 3971 2500
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