George Spencer Watson, R.A., R.O.I.

Presented to Philip A. Laing by his business associates in 1928;
Sotheby's, London, 10 March 2005, lot 276;
John Adams Fine Art, London, October 2005

Original canvas. Some fine craquelure to the sky otherwise the work appears in good overall condition with strong areas of impasto, clean and ready to hang. Ultraviolet light reveals some minor infillings to the craquelure in the sky. Held in a gilt plaster frame.
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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."

Watson studied at the Royal Academy Schools from 1889, where he twice won the Silver Medal for Drawing in 1889 and 1891, and also the Landseer Scholarship in 1892. Primarily known as a portrait painter, Watson exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1891, becoming an Associate in 1923 and an Academician nine years later. He came from a wealthy family so could choose his commissions more freely than most. This enviable position allowed him to enjoy the leisurely and decadent lifestyle of a country gentleman – free to hunt, fish and entertain.

The present work depicts Dunshay Manor, a house Watson purchased in Dorset in 1923 which became the centre of this carefree existence. The coast of Dorset was a refuge and haven for the artist and his family from the pressures of London, while the house and its environs, where most of his best work was painted, became a source of inspiration.

The Cottage Garden depicts Watson’s vegetable patch attached to a cottage adjacent to Dunshay. It is easy to see from this charming painting how Dorset became a sanctuary for the artist and how he never tired of the undulating hills and expansive coastline.