Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely watercolour by the celebrated British artist Gordon King, who has signed the painting in the lower right hand corner. The hand made paper bears an embossed stamp in the right hand corner. The painting depicts three young ladies centrally posed, one with black hair and two blondes, one nude to the waist and the other two showing a large amount of cleavage, each looking at a watercolour painting, possibly of themselves. The artist may have entitled the painting, but it has been laid down onto card, so we cannot tell.

Gordon King, who was born in Scotland in 1939, is one of the most celebrated contemporary artist in the country today. He moved to Berkshire in his middle childhood and his artistic talent showed from an early age, having won several major art competitions from the age of 7. He is a painter in oils, watercolour and acrylics and illustrator.

He trained at the Carlton Studios in London, while studying life drawing and painting at Reading University. He worded as an illustrator in his early twenties and became a Member of the Society of Industrial Artists (MSAID). While earning a living illustrating, he built up the commission side of his work by painting portraits and exhibiting them, and by the mid 1970s, gave up illustration work to concentrate solely on his painting which was, at that time, mainly in oils. He exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions and, later, at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, mostly figurative subjects.

His forte became mainly pretty girls in natural surroundings and in the early 1980s his watercolours became very popular, and these, along with his prints, limited editions and silk-screens gave him the high profile he has today.

In 1995, he published his first book 'A Romance with Art', which featured a forward by HRH The Princess Royal. His second book 'Drawn to Life' was published in 1999. Also in the year, he was voted 'Published Artist of the Year' by the Fine Art Trade Guild.

He lives and works in Buckinghamshire and continues to exhibit worldwide. He has appeared on TV painting live on several programmes.

He has painted portraits of many famous celebrities, including Sir Norman Wisdom, Tim Henman, Tony Jacklin, Katherine Jenkins, Gloria Hunniford and Anne Widdecombe.

He has supported charities widely over the years, with his most recent projects being 3 prints of Darcy Bussell in aid of the Alzheimer's Society, a collection of paintings of Angels for the Caron Keating Foundation and a portrait of Status Quo, which was auctioned at Bonhams in aid of The Prince's Trust.

Auction results achieved for works by this artist may be found at artprice (142 listings), findartinfo (143), arcadja (112) and artnet (42+). His record price in recent years for a watercolour is £1,798. It is a well known fact that the more figures in a painting of this kind, the more expensive the painting would be, as each figure takes a lot more work.

The painting has been newly double mounted in two-tone acid free mountboard and is newly framed in a 2 3/8" ornate silver frame to suit. It will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size 26 3/8" x 20 3/4" - 67cm x 52.7"

Frame size 37 3/8" x 32 1/4" - 95cm x 81.9cm

Medium Watercolours

Condition Excellent condition! The mounts and frame are new.