Duncan Grant

The Estate of the Artist
Angelica Garnett, by whom gifted to the present owner in 1979

The sheet and board appear sound. There is a pinhole apparent in each of the upper corners, thought to be in keeping with the Artist's working method, the right hand edge has been unevenly cut, with some light creases, and there is a small area of loss in the lower right corner, all of which are not visible in the current frame. There is a light scuff apparent to the top of the hat and a very tiny further scuff visible to the figure's nose. There is some light surface dirt and one or two spots of studio detritus. Subject to the above, the work appears to be in very good overall condition. Ultraviolet light reveals some areas of fluorescence, which are thought to be in keeping with the artist's materials. The work is presented in a painted wooden frame with linen slip. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"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."

We are grateful to Richard Shone for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.

This is the first of a pair of self-portraits (the other is in Aberdeen Art Gallery) carried out shortly after the eighty-two-year-old Grant had been unwell with a heavy cold and had taken to his bed for two or three days. As a way of ‘getting back to work’ he made these two images of himself in the studio at Charleston, wearing the same clothes in both, including his habitual sunhat. Here he is somewhat pale and drawn, the pallor suggested by a subtle weft of cool colours in the modelling of the face. This and the Aberdeen version are the last of Grant’s painted self-portraits, a series that had begun in the early years of the century (circa 1909, National Portrait Gallery, London).

Richard Shone