European & British Art

European & British Art

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 79. The Hive, Morning, St Ives.

Elegance and Charm: Property from an Important Family

Samuel John Lamorna Birch, R.A., R.S.W.

The Hive, Morning, St Ives

Lot Closed

December 15, 05:25 PM GMT

Estimate

20,000 - 30,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Elegance and Charm: Property from an Important Family

Samuel John Lamorna Birch, R.A., R.S.W.

British

1869-1955

The Hive, Morning, St Ives


signed and dated .S.J Lamorna Birch 1942. lower left

oil on canvas

Unframed: 77 by 102cm., 30¼ by 40¼in.

Framed: 95 by 121cm., 37½ by 47¾in.

Sale: Sotheby's, London, 20 November 1991, lot 85
Sale: Phillips, London, 17 June 2001, lot 16
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner
Austin Wormleighton, A Painter Laureate: Lamorna Birch and his Circle, Sansom & Company, 1995, illustrated
London, Royal Academy, 1942, no. 89
Bournemouth, Russell Cotes Art Gallery, Exhibition of Works by Eminent Living Artists, 1945, no. 1
This large oil is a magnificent depiction of St Ives at low tide. Sunlight streams through gaps in the clouds and the scene glows with a warm, silver light. Men haul their boats up the beach, laden with catch from early morning trawling, and seagulls circle in the distance. Painted during the war, The Hive, Morning, St Ives shows Birch’s passion of portraying his homeland, a place that he admired and lovingly depicted for over 70 years. Predominantly a self-taught artist, Birch was introduced to plein air painting by Stanhope Forbes, and whilst others in the art establishment were suspicious of this foreign approach, Birch embraced it, stating ‘It was our creed that beautiful things should be painted on the spot’ (Austin Wormleighton, A Painter Laureate: Lamorna Birch and his Circle, p. 22). He even enjoyed the challenges of painting outdoors; mastering how to depict changing light, coping with sudden weather changes especially high-winds and contending with biting insects in the summer months. Birch’s paintings are instantly recognizable for their expert handling of colour, light, and superb treatment of water and the present work is no exception.