Charles Spencelayh

Purchased by Mr Whitworth circa 1928, thence by descent;
Their sale, Christie's, London, 28 January 1977, lot 101, where purchased by the present owner

Royal Society of Miniature Painters, 1928

Aubrey Noakes, Charles Spencelayh and his Paintings, 1978, illustrated plate 20

The canvas has been lined; the work appears in good overall condition. Ultraviolet light reveals small areas of localised retouching to the background, to his trousers and in lower left corner. Retouchings to frame abrasions along the vertical edges. Held in a gilt plaster frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Two Minutes Silence is a poignant reflection of wartime and even in 2014, one hundred years after the outbreak of WWI, the pathos of this painting resonates. The clock marks the eleventh hour as the elderly gentleman prays for the son lost in the war, whose portrait hangs above the clock and a jar of garden flowers that have been arranged in his memory. Spencelayh was staunchly patriotic and deeply affected by the war, painting several pictures which take their theme from the melancholia of the 'lost generation', including a similar painting We Will Remember Them (sold in these rooms 15 June 2000, lot 398). He also painted several pictures depicting the stoicism of old men at times of conflict, "Here's to Victory!" (sold in these rooms, 11 March 1998, lot 168) and Winning the War (sold in these rooms 17 March 1997, lot 132).