The
Romantic
Landscape
in Wales
Paintings, watercolours and prints by
John Piper (1903–1992), Graham Sutherland (1903–1980) and Ralph Maynard Smith (1904–1964)
MONNOW VALLEY
MMXI
In conjunction with The Ralph Maynard Smith Trust, Wolseley Fine Arts and private lenders who prefer to remain anonymous
Acknowledgements
The directors and trustees of Monnow Valley Arts would like to thank the individuals who have loaned work to the
exhibition and to Sir Roy Strong for opening the exhibition on 7th May 2011. Works for sale are offered by our
trading subsidiary Wolseley Fine Arts and profits generated are used to support the activities of Monnow Valley Arts.
Catalogue designed by Helen Swansbourne, London SW6. Printed by ABC Print, Hereford
The Romantic Landscape in Wales
Paintings, watercolours and prints by
John Piper (1903–1992), Graham Sutherland (1903–1980) and Ralph Maynard Smith (1904–1964)
Exhibition dates 7 May – 26 June 2011
Open Thursday & Friday 11 am – 5 pm
Saturday & Sunday 2 – 5 pm
Other times for groups and by appointment
MONNOW VALLEY
In conjunction with The Ralph Maynard Smith Trust,
Wolseley Fine Arts and private lenders who prefer to
remain anonymous.
Front cover: John Piper, Nant Francon Farm 1950, cat. 18
Opposite: Ralph Maynard Smith, The Beach at Llanrhystyd 1946, cat. 49
Above: Graham Sutherland, St David’s Rocks 1969, cat. 34
Back cover: John Piper, Bethesda Baptist Chapel, Swansea 1966, cat. 22
Monnow Valley Arts, Middle Hunt House, Walterstone,
Herefordshire HR2 0DY
01873 860529
[email protected]
www.monnowvalleyarts.org
Registered Charity no. 1123483
Exhibition made possible with financial support from
Monnow Valley Arts Patrons
2
JOHN PIPER (1903–1992)
John Piper studied at the Richmond and
Kingston Schools of Arts and later at the
Royal College of Art. In the 1930s he
concentrated on abstract painting and was
a member of the 7 & 5 Group. In 1939 he
and his wife Myfanwy went on a painting
holiday for 3 weeks at Pontrhydfendigaid
near Aberystwyth. Touring around the area
Piper discover Llyn Teifi and Snowdonia.
During the war he recorded the effect of
ruination and bombing around the country
and wrote and published his book on
English Romantic Artists. From 1949 Piper
was a frequent visitor to Snowdonia renting
a cottage at Bodesi, a farmhouse above Llyn
Ogwen. In 1961, on another trip to Wales,
the Pipers discovered Garn Fawr at
Trefasser near Strumble Head and in 1962
acquired two derelict cottages and fourteen
acres of land.
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1. Llyn Teifi 1939
Watercolour over monotype, 41 × 56 cm
Provenance: Gift to John Rayner and Joan
Leigh Fermor on their wedding
Private Collection
2. Cave Entrance Easegill 1942
Mixed media, 53.5 × 41 cm
Illustrated: Geographical Magazine
December 1942, Buildings and Prospects by
John Piper 1948. Note that this subject was
also interpreted as a lithograph (see below)
Private Collection
3
Items 3 to 14 are lithographs made for English,
Scottish and Welsh Landscape 1944, printed
by the Curwen Press and published by
Frederick Muller in an unspecified edition.
5
6
3. Pistyll Cain, North Wales 1944
Lithograph Levinson 35, 18 × 12 cm
£225
5. Tomen-y-Mur and Roman Amphitheatre,
North Wales 1944
Lithograph Levinson 37, 12 × 18.1 cm
£225
4. Weathercote Cave, Yorkshire 1944
Lithograph Levinson 36, 18.1 × 11.8 cm
£225
6. Grongar Hill, Carmarthenshire 1944
Lithograph Levinson 38, 12 × 18.1 cm
£225
7. At Lewknor, Oxfordshire 1944
Lithograph Levinson 39, 12 × 18.1 cm
£225
8. Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire 1944
Lithograph Levinson 40, 12 × 18.1 cm
£225
9. Trawsfynnydd, Merioneth 1944
Lithograph Levinson 41, 12 × 18.1 cm
£225
3
9
4
20
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10. Approach to Gordale Scar, Yorkshire 1944
Lithograph Levinson 42, 12 × 18.1 cm
£225
11. Easegill, Lancashire 1944
Lithograph Levinson 43, 18.1 × 12 cm
£225
14. Stonesfield, Oxfordshire 1944
Lithograph Levinson 46, 12 × 18.1 cm
£225
15. Rocks at Tryfan 1949
Watercolour, bodycolour and ink,
51 × 69 cm
Private Collection
12. Park Place, Berkshire 1944
Lithograph Levinson 44, 12 × 18.1 cm
£225
13. Talland Church, Cornwall 1944
Lithograph Levinson 45, 12 × 18.1 cm
£225
16. Rocks North Wales (Bodesi) 1949
Coloured crayons, ink and wash,
11.5 × 28 cm
Signed and inscribed Bodesi lower right
£6,500
17. Rocks North Wales 1949
Coloured crayons, ink and wash,
11.5 × 26.5 cm
Signed lower right, titled verso
£6,500
18. Nant Francon Farm 1950
Mixed media, 36 × 53.5 cm
Signed and titled, also on reverse
Provenance: Leicester Galleries, Austin
Desmond 1999, Private Collection
£25,000
Nant Ffrancon is a steep sided glacial valley
in Snowdonia
(illustrated on front cover)
5
19. Lake near Snowdon c. 1950
24. Church Facade c. 1970
Black ink and wash, 19 × 26 cm
Signed lower left and inscribed lower right
£5,250
Ink, pastel, watercolour wash, 59.5 × 40 cm
Signed lower right and inscribed For Tony
Bartl 10 ii 74
£7,400
20. Dryslwyn Castle 1953
Lithograph Levinson 82, 37.7 × 53.2 cm
A proof aside from the edition of 70, signed
£1,300
25
21. Garn Fawr 1962
Oil on canvas, 58.5 × 107 cm
Provenance: Gift to Professor Moelwyn
Merchant 1963
Exhibited: Marlborough Fine Art, John Piper
1963; University College of Wales,
Aberystwyth 1977; MOMA Oxford 1979;
Tate Gallery 1983
Private collection
Note: Piper discovered Garn Fawr in 1961
and later purchased two derelict cottages and
some land there.
25. Eastnor Castle c. 1975
Pencil, pastel and gouache, 38 × 56 cm
Signed lower right
Provenance: Marlborough Fine Arts,
Marjorie Parr gallery, Private collection
£7,500
26. Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Powys:
Caerphilly 1982
Painted and glazed Fulham Pottery ceramic
with Geoffrey Eastop, 29.5 × 41.5 cm
Titled, signed, numbered VIII/82
£2,400
Piper started his collaboration with Geoffrey
Eastop in 1968
22. Bethesda Baptist Chapel, Swansea 1966
Lithograph Levinson 172, 60.2 × 82.4 cm
Signed and numbered 12/75
£1,400
(illustrated on back cover)
23. Swansea Chapel 1966
Lithograph Levinson 175, 69.3 × 51.6 cm
Signed and numbered 49/75
£1,250
24
6
GRAHAM SUTHERLAND
(1903–80)
Sutherland was born in London and
studied at the Goldsmiths’ College School
of Art 1920–5. As an engraver and etcher he
was influenced by Blake, Palmer and his
contemporary Paul Nash and he became
associated with the English Neo-Romantics.
His first visit to Wales was in 1934 where he
developed his painting skills culminating in
highly successful exhibitions of romantic
works in London during the war years.
From 1947 to the mid 1960s Sutherland
worked mainly in the South of France but
he returned to Wales for twice-yearly visits
from 1968 until his death. In 1976 the
Graham Sutherland Gallery at Picton Castle
opened and was soon attracting over 10,000
visitors a year. The mystery of the Welsh
landscape especially in Pembrokeshire was
an enduring influence on Sutherland’s
work.
Signed with initials upper right and dated
Certificate of authenticity from Kathleen
Sutherland dated Oct 11 1981
£12,500
30. Landscape with Vines 1949
Gouache, pastel and ink, 16 × 16 cm
Signed upper right
Certificate of authenticity from Kathleen
Sutherland dated 10 March 1980
£5,000
31. Study for a Form on a Pedestal 1953
Pastel gouache and ink, 28 × 21 cm
Dated lower right
Certificate from Kathleen Sutherland dated
Oct 11 1981
£8,000
(illustrated overleaf)
29
27. Estuary Landscape 1939
Watercolour and ink, 10.5 × 20.5 cm
Signed and dated upper right
Private Collection
28. Pembrokeshire Landscape c. 1940
Ink, crayon and gouache, 29 × 46 cm
Private Collection
29. Tree Forms on an Estuary 1945
Gouache, watercolour and pencil,
26 × 20 cm
30
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34
8
34. Saint David’s Rocks 1969
Pencil, ink and watercolour on sketch book
paper with centre crease, 15 × 24 cm
Certificate from Kathleen Sutherland dated
Oct 11 1981
£4,800
(illustrated on title page)
35. Study of Outcrop near St. David’s 1970
Pencil, watercolour and gouache,
17.2 × 22 cm
Certificate from Kathleen Sutherland dated 8
April 1988
£4,000
(illustrated on page 7)
36. Articulated Forms 1950
Lithograph Tassi 54, 30 × 58 cm
Signed and numbered 34/60
£1,500
31
32. Study for Pergola 1958
Pencil and pastel, 27.3 × 19 cm
Signed with initials lower right
£4,600
37. Interior of a Wood A 1967
Lithograph Tassi 76, sheet 25.5 × 17.5 cm,
image 13.6 × 9.8 cm
Signed and numbered ii/xxv
£500
(illustrated inside back cover)
33. Study for Suspended Form 1962
Gouache, pastel and pencil squared up for
transfer, 37 × 19.5 cm
Certificate from Kathleen Sutherland dated
7.2.1981
£12,000
38. Interior of a Wood B 1967
33
Lithograph Tassi 77, sheet 25.5 × 17.5 cm,
image 13.6 × 9.7 cm
Signed and numbered ii/xxv
£500
(illustrated inside back cover)
9
39. Interior of a Wood C 1967
44. Vase with Exotic Fruit 1971
Lithograph Tassi 78, sheet 25.5 × 17.5 cm,
image 13.6 × 9.7 cm
Signed and numbered ii/xxv
£500
(illustrated inside back cover)
Lithograph (Tassi 118), 56.5 × 77 cm
Inscribed “pour Abel le brave. et bonne santé
bientôt – ses amies Graham et Katherine
Sutherland”. No published edition, only a
few prints exist
£1,250
40. Organic Form 1967
Lithograph Tassi 79, sheet 25.5 × 17.5 cm,
image 12.3 × 9.2 cm
Signed and numbered ii/xxv
£500
(illustrated inside back cover)
41. Organic Form 1977
Lithograph in colour (Not in Tassi),
29.2 × 21 cm
Dated on the stone, studio stamp and the
stamp of the printers 2RC, Rome
£750
42. Field of Rocks with a Candle 1974
Etching and aquatint Tassi 142, 41 × 32.5 cm
Signed and inscribed H.C apart from the
edition of 50
£1,000
43. Studies for Three Organic Forms I 1968
Three lithographs (Not in Tassi) each
approx. 69.5 × 50 cm
One in black, one in green and black, one in
yellow and black
Two signed, one unsigned
Set £2,250
44
42
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R A L P H M AY N A R D S M I T H
(1904–1964)
Maynard Smith was born in South Africa
but studied to be an architect in London.
Throughout his career as an architect he was
torn between this profession and that of an
artist. He attended evening art classes at
Hatherley’s. His love of wild places and the
dynamism of contours, clouds, waves and
wind-blown trees inspired him to produce
his romantic paintings. The conflict between
the strictness and linearity of architecture
and the dynamism of the natural world
caused Maynard Smith anxiety which was
reflected in his work from the 1940s until his
death. Although he was a secret artist
throughout his life, he left over 1600 works
on his death.
“Ralph Maynard Smith sought out the
wilder and more remote coasts of England,
Scotland and Wales. After his first, lifechanging experiences in Mull and Iona on the
West Coast of Scotland, he probably spent
more time overall, and culled more of his
original ideas, in Wales than anywhere else.
46
His first visits were to Dyffryn in the
early 1930s, returning in 1945 immediately
after the end of the Second World War to
Llanon, south of Aberystwyth. His work in
Wales ranged from the near topographical to
the neo-romantic. He explored from
Saundersfoot in the South to Ffestiniog and
Lake Bala in the North.
Near the end of his life there were several
visits to Gwbert. And it was to Gwbert that
his last painting trip was directed in 1961.
While many of his works can be recognised
as originating in known Welsh locations,
there are others that have the ‘flavour’ of
Wales.”
Simon Smith, March 2011
11
45. Grey Hills 1929
Watercolour wash K182.00, 32 × 22.5 cm
Studio stamp lower right
£2,250
46. Hilly Landscape with Farm (Drffryn)
1933/5
Pen & ink, watercolour and chalk K372.00,
17.7 × 22 cm
£3,000
47. Clouds Above, Clouds below (Llanon)
1945
Pastel and charcoal K803.00, 25 × 30 cm
£4,500
48. Frontal Advance 1946
47
Charcoal and watercolour wash on green
paper K837.02, 18 × 30 cm
Signed with initials lower right and titled
lower left
£4,000
49. The Beach at Llanrhystyd 1946
Oil on paper K838.00, 17.5 × 32 cm
Signed lower right
(illustrated on inside front cover)
£4,500
50. Foothills 1949
Watercolour wash K1056.00, 18 × 24 cm
Signed with initials lower left
£1,600
(illustrated overleaf)
48
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51. White Cloud and Moon (Talybont) 1949
Watercolour K1120.00, 13 × 25 cm
Signed with initials lower left
£2,750
52. The Incommunicable 1949
Pen & ink, watercolour and pastel K1113.01,
17.5 × 28 cm
£4,000
Exhibited: Ralph Maynard Smith Artist and
Architect touring retrospective 2004/5 no. 60
53. Wordless Urges 1951
Oil on panel K1113.02, 42.5 × 66 cm
£18,000
Exhibited: Ralph Maynard Smith Artist and
Architect touring retrospective 2004/5 no.71
“If in this world there is one misery having
no relief, it is the pressure on the heart from
the incommunicable. And if a sphinx should
arise to propose another enigma to man –
saying what is that which only is
unsupportable by human fortitude? I should
answer at once – it is the burden of the
incommunicable.” Thomas de Quincy copied
out by Maynard Smith in 1950
50
54. Evening Sky (Gwbert) 1959
Indian ink and wash K1599.00,
17.5 × 22.8 cm
£1,600
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