Gwen John

The Estate of the Artist
he Matthiesen Gallery, London, where acquired by the family of the present owner in 1957

London, Matthiesen Gallery, Gwen John Memorial Exhibition, 19th September - 12th October 1946, cat. no.49, with Arts Council of Great Britain tour;
London, New Burlington Galleries, British Painting 1925 - 1950: Second Anthology, 20th June - 28th July 1951, cat. no.63 (as Study of a Girl in Profile):
London, Tate, Ethel Walker, Frances Hodgkins, Gwen John: A Memorial Exhibition, 7th May - 15th June 1952, cat. no.117, with Arts Council tour;
London, The Matthiesen Gallery, Gwen John, 8th June - 8th July 1961, cat. no.12;
London, Arts Council Gallery, Gwen John: A Retrospective Exhibition, 26th January - 2nd March 1968, cat. no.31, illustrated, with Arts Council tour to Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield and National Museum of Wales, Cardiff (as Unfinished Study of a Girl with Head Turned to the Left).

Gwen John: A Retrospective Exhibition (exh. cat.), Davis & Long, London, 1975, p.31 (as Unfinished Study of a Girl with Head Turned to the Left);
Cecily Langdale, Gwen John, With A Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings and a Selection of the Drawings, Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 1987, cat. no.67, illustrated p.155.

The following condition report has been prepared by Hamish Dewar Ltd: Structural Condition The canvas appears unlined and is securely attached to a keyed wooden stretcher. This is ensuring a stable structural support. A card backboard with a window cut-out is tacked into the reverse of the stretcher. Paint Surface The paint surface has the artist's original unvarnished appearance. There are small scattered paint losses with associated crease lines and craquelure throughout the composition, most notably an area within the lower arms of the sitter. These appear stable. Inspection under ultra-violet light shows an intermittent diagonal line of retouching running through the sitter's shoulders and a further horizontal line of retouching above the sitter's left shoulder. Inspection under ultra-violet light also shows areas of pale fluorescence around the perimeter of the painting where a white gesso appears to have been applied in the past. Summary The painting would therefore appear to be in relatively good and stable condition. 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."