Arthur Hacker

The artist's estate (and sold, Christie's, London, June 27, 1927, lot 3)
Mr. Fehrman, Virginia (acquired at the above)
Private Collection, Virginia (by descent from the above, until 2000)
Peter Nahum, London

London, Royal Academy, Summer Exhibiton, 1913, no. 233
Liverpool, Liverpool Academy, 1913

The Studio Magazine, 1913, vol. 59, p. 22

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting has been restored and can be hung in its current state. The canvas has a loose linen backing. The tacking edges have been reinforced, but it is unclear whether the work has been lined. Under ultraviolet light, one can see that some cracks in the upper left above and in the neck of the figure have received retouches. Some cracking has also been retouched beneath the right arm of the figure on the right, in the upper center between the two figures, and in the upper right in the head and areas surrounding the figure. There are a few small retouches in the hands of both figures. Most of the bottom half of the picture is unretouched; the only exception is a vertical damage of about 6 inches in the lower right side. The work is clean, and most of the retouches are very good.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

In this ethereal composition, Vale (Farewell), two women silently part in a dense, atmospheric forest. The passion flower, enigmatically fallen to the ground, and the evocative title are poignant. This work was painted toward the end of Arthur Hacker’s long and successful career and would seem to be almost in anticipation of the First World War, with the irrevocable changes that it caused.