Henry Scott Tuke, R.A., R.W.S.

Sotheby's, London, 22 June 1994, lot 19;
Private collection

The panel appears to be in good stable condition. Some minor abrasions to the corners. Otherwise the work appears to be in good overall condition with passages of good original impasto. UV light inspection reveals a few minor flecks of retouching to the water in the lower right hand foreground. Float mounted in a simple wooden box 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."

'He became fascinated with the contrast between the light skin placed against dark rocks and incandescent shifting light on water behind... He sought to find the ultimate balance between definition and the mirage effect of shifting light as it hit the model's skin.' (Catherine Wallace, Catching the Light - The Art and Life of Henry Scott Tuke, 2008, p.146)

 

Nude on the Rocks was painted c.1927 and is among the artist's last depictions of a subject that had inspired him for over half a century, the beauty of the human body lit by brilliant summer sunlight. It was around this time that Tuke painted Sunbathers (collection of Sir Elton John) and The Critics (Leamington Spa Art Gallery) which are more formal arrangements of figures on the sandy beaches of Cornwall. The present picture is a more casual observation of a model sitting on rocks and looking down into the rock-pool beneath, an action that is suggestive of the Greek myth of Narcissus but painted in such a modern way that we are left in no doubt that this is an English boy of the new generation of post-war hope.