Allan Gwynne Jones – Portrait of Air-Craftsman Jo Hodgson

£520.00

1 in stock

Signed and inscribed in pencil AGJ 1941, Air Craftsman Jo Hodgson (bottom left). Pencil on cream wove paper presented in a new mount. Provenance: Previously in the collection of John Sergeant (1937-2010).

Image: Sheet: 11 x 7 1/2 in. (28 x 19 cm.)
Mount: 15 1/8 x 12 1/4 in. (38.5 x 31.3 cm.)

Description

Gwynne-Jones was commissioned to make two portraits of RAF VCs in March 1944 for 50 or 75 guineas, depending on size. However he had problems executing the first portrait at Binbrook and in May 1944 the commission was cancelled and Gwynne-Jones was paid instead 40 guineas for a series of 41 drawings which he had carried out meantime. In June 1944 at Kenneth Clark’s suggestion, Gwynne-Jones was commissioned to make some further portraits for 25 guineas, at Elsham Wolds. In the end, ten were accepted for this commission and a further ten purchased for another 25 guineas.

Brand

Jones, Allan Gwynne (1892-1982)

Allan Gwynne-Jones C.B.E., D.S.O., R.A., was born in Richmond, Surrey. He was educated at Bedales School and then qualified as a solicitor, but never practised. He instead developed a love of art and began painting watercolours. In 1914 he began a course at the Slade School of Fine Art, but three months later was commissioned into the Cheshire Regiment. He was wounded and awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. He returned to the Slade after demobilisation in 1919 and in 1923 became Professor of Painting at the Royal College of Art. He remained at the Royal College for the remainder of his career, and also gained renown for his own painting, most notably portraits and paintings of flowers. Gwynne-Jones became a Royal Academician in 1956. He was rather belatedly appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1980, only two years before his death.