Gwen John (1876-1939)

Details

Gwen John (1876-1939)

Young Woman with a Violin

oil on canvas
18 x 16in. (46 x 41cm.)

Painted circa 1897-88

Provenance

Given by the artist to Augustus John, until 1961, thence to Dorelia John, until 1969

Literature

M. Holroyd, Augustus John: A Biography I, London, 1974, p.59
M. Taubman, Gwen John, London, 1986, p.22, pl.8
C. Langdale, Gwen John, New Haven, 1987, no.4, p.134, pl.5

Exhibited

London, C.E.M.A., British Institute of Adult Education, British Paintings 1900-1940, 1941, no.13
London, Matthiesen Ltd., Gwen John Memorial Exhibition, Sept.-Oct. 1946, no.2 as 'Grace Westrey (sic) playing the violin'
London, Arts Council of Great Britain, Tate Gallery, Ethel Walker, Frances Hodgkins, Gwen John: A Memorial Exhibition, May-June 1952, no.107 as 'Grace Westrey (sic) playing the Violin'
London, Arts Council of Great Britain, Arts Council Gallery, Gwen John, Jan.-March 1968, no.2: this exhibition travelled to Sheffield, Graves Art Gallery, March-April 1968; and Cardiff, National Museum of Wales, April-May 1968
New York, Davis & Long Company, Gwen John A Retrospective Exhibition, Oct.-Nov. 1975, no.3 (illustrated)

Lot Essay

Grace Westray was fellow student at the Slade with Augustus and Gwen John and in 1897-98 she shared rooms with them and their sister Winifred at 21 Fitzroy Street. Winifred had come to London to study the violin. The background of the present work is similar to that of 'Portrait of the Artist's Sister Winifred' from the same period, and it can be presumed that both works were painted at Fitzroy Street.

Grace is also the subject of two drawings by Augustus John (Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge).
(see C. Langdale, loc. cit.).

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