- 68
Sir Alfred James Munnings, P.R.A., R.W.S.
Estimate
250,000 - 350,000 USD
bidding is closed
Description
- Going to the Post
- dated 1932-3 and inscribed 27. Sketch- Jockey in yellow on Brown mare; also inscribed My Christmas Present 1950/ Violet Munnings (the artist's wife) on the reverse
- oil on board
- 20 by 24 in.
- 50.8 by 61 cm
Provenance
Violet Munnings (acquired directly from the artist, her husband, 1950 until 1971)
Sale: Christie's, New York, October 11, 1979, lot 231, illustrated
Arthur Ackermann & Son, Ltd., London (by 1983)
Private Collection, New York (until 1989)
Red Fox Fine Art, Middleburg, Virginia (until January, 1989)
Private Collection, Maryland (acquired from the above, January 17, 1989)
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Sale: Christie's, New York, October 11, 1979, lot 231, illustrated
Arthur Ackermann & Son, Ltd., London (by 1983)
Private Collection, New York (until 1989)
Red Fox Fine Art, Middleburg, Virginia (until January, 1989)
Private Collection, Maryland (acquired from the above, January 17, 1989)
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Literature
"The International Art Market," Art in America, 1979, vol. 19, p. 303
John Ford, Ackermann 1783-1983: The Business of Art, London, 1983, p. 205, illustrated
John Ford, Ackermann 1783-1983: The Business of Art, London, 1983, p. 205, illustrated
Condition
The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This work is in excellent condition. The board on which it is painted is supported by a thin wooden framework on the reverse. The board is flat and stable. The paint layer is clean. There are spots of retouching in all four corners, but the work is otherwise in lovely condition.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Munnings was an unwavering disciple of the Impressionists' color principals, based on reflected light, and was the first equine artist to acknowledge that a subject takes on the colors of its surroundings, an idea originally posed by fellow academician Augustus John.
In the present work, highlights of blue-green and peach hues reflect off of the bay’s coat, and emphasize the animation of its muscles. Munnings’ practice of painting en plein air allowed him to observe the color effects of the sun. As much as Munnings loved horses as a subject, his oeuvre suggests that his real love was light and color and how it reflected or was absorbed by various surfaces and textures. The summary nature of the background of blue sky and green grass are echoed in the bay’s glossy coat and jockey’s silks.
The present work may have been a preliminary idea for the lead horse in a larger picture titled Going to the Post, Epsom painted 1929. The horse’s ears are back indicating annoyance, which is explained in the larger painting in which the horse is clustered with other runners going to the start. The pose of the horse and jockey recalls compositions such as Going out at Epson (1931, Private Collection) and Going to the Start, Epsom (1931, Private Collection, fig. 1). As the inscription on the work’s reverse explains, Going to the Post was a Christmas gift from the artist to his wife Violet, herself an avid equestrienne and model for her husband.
In the present work, highlights of blue-green and peach hues reflect off of the bay’s coat, and emphasize the animation of its muscles. Munnings’ practice of painting en plein air allowed him to observe the color effects of the sun. As much as Munnings loved horses as a subject, his oeuvre suggests that his real love was light and color and how it reflected or was absorbed by various surfaces and textures. The summary nature of the background of blue sky and green grass are echoed in the bay’s glossy coat and jockey’s silks.
The present work may have been a preliminary idea for the lead horse in a larger picture titled Going to the Post, Epsom painted 1929. The horse’s ears are back indicating annoyance, which is explained in the larger painting in which the horse is clustered with other runners going to the start. The pose of the horse and jockey recalls compositions such as Going out at Epson (1931, Private Collection) and Going to the Start, Epsom (1931, Private Collection, fig. 1). As the inscription on the work’s reverse explains, Going to the Post was a Christmas gift from the artist to his wife Violet, herself an avid equestrienne and model for her husband.