Still life with anemones in a jug

On 4 February 1928 Gertler wrote to Marjorie Hodgkinson, 'I have been struggling with my flower piece. I believe I've discovered how to do flowers without having to be in such a desperate hurry, which is simply by replacing the faded ones ... and other tricks I've discovered too - such as, when the flower has grown to about twice as tall as it was, cut its stem. Then it is in its old place again, etc.!' (see N. Carrington (Ed.), Mark Gertler: Selected letters, London, 1965, p. 225) and on 10 February 1928 he wrote to her, 'My dear Marjorie, I have finished my flowers and I really do believe they are very nice. In fact there are moments when I am enthusiastic. They are so nice and bright, and just the effect I've been trying to get for ages. I believe all my future work will be beneficially affected by them. I really believe that I have at last added a something to my work which was wanting but we shall see' (op. cit, p. 226).