Sir Alfred James Munnings, P.R.A., R.W.S.

Purchased from the artist by a private collector;

Thence by descent;

Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 4 June 2003, lot 8;

With Richard Green, London;

Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 23 November 2017, lot 121;

Where acquired by the present owner.

This charming watercolour, painted during Munnings’ time living at Mendham in Norfolk, probably depicts ‘Old Bob Riches’ the subject of an oil painting of 1908 (Christie’s, London, 9 November 1989, lot 152). Of The Old Thatcher, Bob Riches Munnings reminisced more than four decades after it had been painted: ‘Old Bob Riches, the thatcher - pipe in mouth, wearing a slouch hat, sleeve waistcoat and cords sits in his cart, driving an aged, dark chestnut mare, at a slow walk along the lane behind the church... This was a forty-by-thirty canvas, painted in sunlight, and Riches posed for it two mornings running. Having seen the work of the Spaniard, Sorolla, I was trying to paint more swiftly. When painting Riches in the lane, Mr. Wharton, my landlord, who farmed Walsham Hall and Shearings, came along in his low gig, pulled up and stopped. Knowing that I was contemplating a move, he sat watching the picture. His kind, bearded face was thoughtful, the reins hung loosely on the dash-board, his sixteen stones weighed down the springs of his gig on one side. He gave his warning: "Don't leave this country, Alfred. It's brought you luck. Mark my word," said he, and drove slowly on.'¹

¹ Sir Alfred Munnings, An Artist's Life, 1950, p. 189.