1935 Huge Oil on Canvas Herbert James Gunn Royal Academy "The Cadaverous Lady"

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1935 Huge Oil on Canvas Herbert James Gunn Royal Academy "The Cadaverous Lady"

About the Item

A large scale and exceptional oil on canvas full length portrait of an unknown mature Lady in high heels and a flowing white cocktail dress circa 1935. The piece was removed from a country estate in Surrey, where it was stored in an attic under a leaking roof. Only the face and upper torso where damaged in storage. It has been expertly restored over the course of 12 months, leaving the face having a cadaverous, decaying, eerie appearance. There are also some elderly areas of restoration. The frame is a later addition to the painting, the stretchers bare a stamp from Reeves & Son art supplier who were situated off Kensington high street London just a few miles from Gunns former residence of 12 Bedford Gardens W8. Measures: 139 cm by 236 cm Sir Herbert James Gunn (also known as Sir James Gunn) was born in Glasgow on 30 June 1893, the son of Richard Gunn, a draper, and Thomasina Munro.He studied for several years at the Glasgow School of Art and the Edinburgh College of Art. In 1911 he went to the Académie Julian in Paris where he studied under Jean-Paul Laurens. After he left Paris, Gunn travelled to Spain and then spent time in London, where he mostly painted landscapes. At the outbreak of the First World War, Gunn initially joined the Artists Rifles. He subsequently received a commission in the 10th Scottish Rifles and saw active service in France. During the conflict he continued to paint, most notably a work depicting troops on the eve of the Battle of the Somme. Gunn began as a landscape painter and traveled widely, exhibiting Paintings of Rome etc at the Fine Art Society in 1929. During the 1920s, he increasingly concentrated on portrait painting and after 1929 he devoted himself exclusively to portraits. In November 1939, Gunn offered his services to the War Artists' Advisory Committee and subsequently received three portrait commissions from them. Gunn's paintings are on show in a number of galleries and his 1953 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II is in the Royal Collection. He also painted notable portraits of King George V and also of Harold Macmillan, in his role as Chancellor of Oxford University. He was elected President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 1953, a post he held until his death. He was elected an associate member of the Royal Academy in 1953 and a full academician in 1961. Gunn was knighted for services to painting in 1963.

Creator:
Sir Herbert James Gunn, R.A. (Artist)
Dimensions:
Height: 92.92 in (236 cm)Width: 54.73 in (139 cm)Depth: 3.55 in (9 cm)
Style:
Art Deco (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Canvas,Painted
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1935
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor fading.
Seller Location:
Lowestoft, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU4612114597111