Alfred Wallis

Acquired directly from the Artist by Mr E. Murt, St Ives
Ivor Braka, London, from whom acquired by the present owner in 1991

London, Tate, Alfred Wallis, 30th May - 30th June 1968, cat. no.172, with Arts Council tour to York City Art Gallery, York, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen and Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal.

Edwin Mullins, Alfred Wallis, Cornish Primitive Painter, Macdonald, London, 1967, p.35, illustrated fig.6;
Robert Jones, Alfred Wallis, Artist and Mariner, Harlsgrove, Tiverton, 2001, illustrated p.119.

The artist has used a found, basic earthenware thrown vessel. The vessel itself has a few nicks and is poorly thrown and fired, in keeping with the nature of rustic functional ceramics of the region, with one or two tiny chips. There is the chance that one or two of these might have occurred since the execution of the painting. There are a few minor scuffs and scratches to the painted part of the jug, including an area of old possible loss towards the base, below the bottom right hand side of the boat. There are some traces of light surface dirt and studio detritus. This excepting the work appears in very good overall condition. Ultraviolet light reveals what appears to be an uneven layer of varnish, but no obvious signs of retouching. 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."

The first owner of this work, Mr. E. Murt was married to Emily, the daughter of Mrs Emily Peters, one of Wallis’s stepdaughters.