Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are delighted to offer for sale the first of three watercolours by the artist Claude Graham Muncaster whill we will be listing in the next few weeks. This painting is entitled Flood Waters Greatham and is signed in the lower right hand corner. The painting depicts Greatham Bridge, Sussex with the River Arun in flood. Greatham in West Sussex is near to Petworth where the artist lived.

According to the label on the reverse of the old backing board, the painting had been exhibited at the Royal Watercolour Society Galleries in Conduit Street London in 1959, but this has been altered slightly to read at the top Society of Sussex Painters and the date changed to March 1959, presumably when it was re-exhibited.

Claude Grahame Muncaster was born Grahame Hall at West Chiltington, Sussex on 4th July 1903, the son of Olive Hall RA. In 1923, shortly after he began to exhibit, he changed his name to Claude Muncaster to avoid confusion with his father. He changed it officially by deed poll in 1945. We have no information regarding his art education, but presumably he received tuition from his father. He died in Sussex in 1974.

He was a landscape and marine painter in both oils and watercolours, etcher, illustrator and writer. He exhibited between 1923 and 1939 and was a very prolific artist. He lived from 1934 at Four Winds, Grove Lane, Petworth, West Sussex. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1921 and had his first one man show at the Fine Art Society in 1926.

He saw service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve 1940-44, advising on camouflage. He wrote two books, 'Rolling round the Horn' (1933) and 'Landscape and Marine Painting (1958).

He was elected Associate Member of the Royal Watercolour Society in 1931 and Full Member in 1936, Full Member of the Society of Marine Artists in 1939 and its President in 1958. He was also elected a Full Member of the Royal Oil Painters Institute in 1932 and a Full Member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1944.

He exhibited 41 painting at the Royal Academy, 263 at the Fine Art Society, 111 at the Royal Watercolour Society, etc.

Auction results for the many paintings sold by this artist may be found at the usual sites, the most being at artprice (287 listings).

The painting has been newly double mounted and newly framed in a dull silver frame which suits it very well. It is ready to hang.

Medium Watercolours