Arthur Melville, A.R.S.A., R.S.W. A.R.S.

Collection of the Duke of Atholl, Perthshire;
Christie's, Glasgow, 30 November 1982, lot 332;
Sotheby's, Gleneagles, 27 August 1985, lot 707

Agnes Ethel Mackay, Arthur Melville, Scottish Impressionist, Leigh-on-Sea, 1951, p.148, no.360, titled Bull Fight;
Kenneth McConkey and Charlotte Topsfield, Arthur Melville Adventures in Colour, exh.cat, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, 2015, p.109

The sheet appears to be sound. A small spot of foxing in the lower left corner; otherwise the work appears in good overall condition. Held under glass in a gilt plaster frame with a cream mount; unexamined out of 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."

The present lot is the only known version of arguably Arthur Melville's most famous and celebrated picture The Little Bullfight, 'Bravo Toro' (1899, Victoria and Albert Museum, London). It is likely that when Melville came to paint his masterpiece he used this watercolour, painted five years earlier, as a starting point on which to build the detail and energy of Bravo Toro. Despite being less detailed the present work is still imbued with swirling colours and frenzied motion. The stands are steeped in shade contrasting dramatically with the white heat of the ring's drifting dust. The crowd melts together to create a sense of the thronging multitude, whilst punctuations of vivid colour give form to individual figures. The frenetic activity of the bullfight, so compellingly rendered in this work, captivated Melville and it is on this subject that he produced some of his most accomplished work.

We are grateful to Kenneth McConkey for his assistance with the cataloguing of this lot.