Cat Asleep

Harold W. Sanderson (1863-1958) came from a family whose promotion of the arts spanned multiple generations. His father, Arthur Sanderson, was the founder of the important wallpaper and textile company, Arthur Sanderson & Sons, who predominantly based their printing factory in Chiswick. Harold, who later took over the business with his two brothers, was a devoted collector of Modern British Art during the first half of the 20^th Century. John Piper was commissioned to work on wallpaper designs and also to design the large stained-glass panel that is in the Sanderson head office on Berners St., now the Sanderson hotel. Committed to not only encouraging his passion for the arts to the younger generations of his family, but also to promote arts to industry, he set up the Harold William Sanderson Art in Industry Fund, which still operates to this day. In 1902, the architect Charles Voysey designed a stunning extension to the now Grade II listed factory, which stands as a landmark in the West-London suburb. The company also acquired the original printing blocks for William Morris’s wallpaper designs, which included the rights to use the Morris name. His son-in-law, John Keith Roberts, carried on this artistic pedigree after Harold introduced him to Redfern Gallery in the 1930s.

For further works from this collection please see lot 1 in the Modern British & Irish Art Evening sale on 19 October, and lots 147-150 in the Modern British & Irish Art Day sale on 20 October.