Lot 349 , Mary Fedden OBE R.A. PPRWA (1915-2012), Fishermen’s hut at Cadgwith, oil on canvas, 50 x 40cm

§ Mary Fedden OBE R.A. PPRWA (1915-2012)
Fishermen’s hut at Cadgwith
oil on canvas
signed and dated 1948
50 x 40cm
£15,000-20,000
Robert Donington (1907-1990) was educated at St Paul's School, London, and studied at the University of Oxford. His expert knowledge of early instruments and the interpretation of pre-classical music owed much to a period of study with Arnold Dolmetsch at Haslemere, Surrey. He was appointed OBE in the 1979 Birthday Honours.

In the late 1940's Donington shared a studio with his friend Julian Trevelyan. Here he met Mary Fedden and although already married became enamoured with her. By repute in an effort to cool his pursuit of Mary his wife encouraged him to commission work from her and thus place their relationship on a more professional basis. Mary painted his portrait as well as a view of Robert's holiday home, a converted fishermans' hut at Cadgwith. He also acquired a further work from her; 'The Lion and the Lamb'. As history records regardless of Robert's affections, Mary married Julian.

Condition:
Oil on original canvas in honest untouched condition, very slight undulation to the canvas, paint looking a little dirty with some fine but stable craquelure in patches, the artist has used scratching into the paint as part of the image which shows below the right hand lobster pot, below the left hand black leaves and elsewhere, housed in an old and probably original wooden frame that has some rather large wormholes, label on the back of the stretcher for Linds Photo & Art Supply, Iowa City, Iowa. Provenance - by family descent.

Sold for £18,000