Portrait of J. Louis Behrend

by Stanley Spencer

£5,000

MEDIUM: Pencil on paper
DIMENSIONS: (unframed) 8.3 x 7.0 ins/ 21.1 x 17.8 cm

Stanley Spencer made portrait drawings of his friends and patrons for much of his life, often head and shoulder views, as if they were seated before him. He enjoyed this activity, he said, because of his ‘exquisite appreciation of heads’.

This work, Portrait of J. Louis Behrend, is a prime example of his keen attention to detail, as he focuses on his face, with his torso fading into the paper. Also, his gaze directly confronts the viewer, yet is soft. Spencer’s light use of pencil captures his subject’s gentle demeanour.

 

Catalogue No: 5531 Categories: , Tags: ,

Stanley Spencer made portrait drawings of his friends and patrons for much of his life, often head and shoulder views, as if they were seated before him. He enjoyed this activity, he said, because of his ‘exquisite appreciation of heads’. Most of these would reveal Spencer’s creative process as he would often paint oils later on from the same viewpoint, demonstrating both the strength of Spencer’s visual memory and also how he could treat subjects in a similar way despite considerable gaps of time.

This work, Portrait of J. Louis Behrend, is a prime example of his keen attention to detail, as he focuses on his face, with his torso fading into the paper. Also, his gaze directly confronts the viewer, yet is soft. Spencer’s light use of pencil captures his subject’s gentle demeanour.

The subject, John Louis Behrend (1881-1972) along with his wife Mary were among Spencer’s principal patrons. They first became acquainted with the artist at a party hosted by the Bloomsbury socialite Lady Ottoline Morrell in 1914 and went on to buy many of Spencer’s key pieces including, Mending Cowls and Swan Upping. They went on to accumulate what became the largest collection of Spencer’s pictures.

George Behrend, son of Louis Behrend;

Chris Dobosz, carer of George Behrend;

Private collection, United Kingdom

Stanley Spencer is an internationally regarded artist, best known, and loved, for his paintings that fuse everyday life with religious themes. His works concentrate on descriptive detail, incident and anecdote, which combined with his visionary and imaginative spiritualism make manifest the sacred in the everyday.

Spencer was a devout Christian, and his faith defined both the subjects of his paintings and their stylistic treatment. In large-scale paintings intended to recall religious frescos or altarpieces, Spencer depicted incidents inspired by the Bible. The scenes and events were however transferred to the familiar setting of Cookham, the Berkshire village on the banks of the River Thames in which he had lived since a child, and other close-knit communities such as the Clyde shipbuilders of Glasgow. Through his art he sought to discover the sacred in the daily lives of ordinary working British people and to show that all parts of life are touched by spirituality.

He studied at the Slade School of Art in London, before moving back to Cookham where he grew up and spent much of his life. While his style progressed and developed over the course of his prolific career, his attention to detail remained a constant and defines his large and varied body of work. In the last decade of his life, Spencer was awarded the CBE and elected Royal Academician.

Buy with confidence: our assurance to you

Professional Associations

We have built up a strong reputation for the quality of the paintings, drawings and sculpture that we curate, exhibit and sell. Our professional associations with bodies such as The British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA) and the Association of Art & Antique Dealers (LAPADA) are as a result of our reputation for integrity, our wide knowledge of fine arts and the high quality of our stock. Our business standards and expertise are reviewed regularly to adhere vigorously with enforced Codes. Our memberships and commitment to its Code of Conducts, gives our buyers confidence when purchasing a work from us.

Authenticity

Condition reports and certificates of authenticity vary in their nature by artwork, for more information on your pieces of interest, please enquire with the gallery.

Artwork images

We take pride in the attention we give to our images of the artworks for purchase and invest in these to ensure outputs are aligned as closely as possible to the item in reality. We do not apply filters or modify images, we provide high quality images to reflect the high quality of our artworks.

Your purchase process

Payment processing – You can be assured that payments are securely processed through Worldpay’s trusted payment gateway.

The Trinity House promise to you

Shipping and packaging

Shipping and packaging requirements are assessed per piece to ensure the most suitable protection for the artwork. Trinity House will therefore call following purchase to agree the recommendations and costs.

Our After Sales services

We offer the following services which we will be happy to discuss with you following your purchase, alternatively you can enquire for more information.

Insurance

We offer insurance appraisals to protect your prised artwork and help you find the right cover and policy for you.

Framing

We are able to advise on framing and have access to every type and style to suit any artistic period or room setting.

Conservation

The nature of the materials involved in a painting mean that on occasion some pieces are susceptible to movement and the effects of natural ageing. We are able to provide advice on practical measures to conserve the original condition of a piece and have relationships with restorers and framers to offer you a range of services to meet your needs.

    Your Message


    You may also like…

    Related products

    The Cotswolds

    20 High Street
    Broadway
    WR12 7DT
    United Kingdom

    T: +44 (0)1386 859 329

    Trinity House Modern

    35 High Street
    Broadway
    WR12 7DP
    United Kingdom

    T: +44 (0)1386 859 329

    San Francisco

    82 Main Street
    Belvedere Tiburon
    CA 94920
    United States

    T: +1 415 250 2597

    Go to Top