Lot Essay
Victoria Falls was painted at the same time as 'The Hunting Party, signed and dated 1929, now in the possession of the school Charterhouse (which Vaughan attended), which shows a crowd of people in medieval garb amongst trees. At least twenty-four figures, two dogs and six horses are arranged quite skilfully across a space 10½ x 30½ inches ... The only other paintings found from this school period are two very competent watercolours of English landscapes with trees, clouds and cows, which hung on his mother's walls until her death' (M. Yorke, Keith Vaughan His Life and Work, London, 1990, p. 31-32). The inspiration for the present work would most probably derived from a picture postcard (Vaughan's father had worked in Africa between 1911-14 as a civil engineer and the family had links there).
The discobery of Victoria Falls makes it the fourth known work of this period.
The discobery of Victoria Falls makes it the fourth known work of this period.