Henry Scott Tuke, R.A., R.W.S. (1858-1929)

Henry Scott Tuke was elected Associate of the Royal Academy in 1900 and Royal Academician in 1914. His exhibits at the Summer Exhibition often depicted young, athletic male nudes like the figure in the present picture, basking in the sun on a Cornish beach.
The Sunbather was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1912 and correlates to catalogue entry R700 in The Registers of Henry Scott Tuke (1858-1929) (B.D Price (ed.), Falmouth, 1983). The Registers recognise the model as Charlie Mitchell, painted from Newporth. Mitchell modelled regularly for Tuke and often worked as his studio assistant.

We are grateful to Kenneth McConkey for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.