Crostwick Common: Woman with a Donkey and Geese was executed in 1904, when Munnings stayed at an inn called the Crostwick White Horse, near Norwich, and painted at Crostwick Common. In his memoir An Artist’s Life, published nearly fifty years after the picture was completed, Munnings recalled those charmed days: 'Then came the open Common. There were the donkeys, young and old, a coloured cow or two, a white horse peacefully standing on a knoll - the wind stirring its tail - and geese and ponies. What a Common! ... calm, grey autumn days followed in succession in that particular year; days with soft "barred clouds" stretching across the sky. I see the bramble patches, the dark clumps of gorse and purple torns and yellow bracken, the donkeys with their white muzzles, feeding, and the geese far away near the stream at the end. Here I was in my twenties, with everything around me to paint' (A.J. Munnings, An Artist's Life, London, 1950, pp. 204-5).
Rural scenes were a popular theme at the turn of the century reflecting the prominent 'Back to the Land' movement in which the countryside and its populace were embraced. Munnings was no exception to this phenomenon and his early Royal Academy pictures, such The Vagabonds, 1902 (sold Christie's, London, 9 July 2021, lot 13 for £1,942,500), reflect on themes of rural life.
We are grateful to Lorian Peralta-Ramos, Tristram Lewis and the Curatorial staff at The Munnings Museum for their assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.
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THIS CONDITION REPORT HAS BEEN PREPARED BY HAMISH DEWAR FINE ART CONSERVATION, IN THE CHRISTIE'S WAREHOUSE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SALE.
UNCONDITIONAL AND WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Structural condition The canvas has been lined and this is ensuring a sound and secure support and no further structural work is required. Paint surface The paint surface has an even varnish layer. Inspection under ultraviolet light shows just one very small spot of retouching in the sky, just below the upper horizontal turnover edge and maybe a small area in the lower left corner. There may be retouchings which I could not identify under ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light also shows the varnish layers to be slightly discoloured, suggesting that cleaning would be beneficial. Summary The painting would therefore appear to be in very good and stable condition and while no further work is required for reasons of conservation, cleaning could be considered.
預計金額計算機
拍品 87拍賣 20112
Crostwick Common: Woman with a donkey and geeseSIR ALFRED JAMES MUNNINGS, P.R.A., R.W.S. (BRITISH, 1878-1959)估價: GBP 30,000 - 50,000