Torr Antiques & Decorative Arts

Description

Beautiful drawing of a seated young woman with watercolour added to face, hair and skin, wearing a simple white dress in the Edwardian style. It is signed in pencil Fred Pegram bottom right.

Dimensions: Image area: 16 1/4" x 11" Size of card: 20 1/4" x 14"

Condition: The drawing is in excellent condition with no marks and no discolouration. It has been framed for at least part of its life as can be observed by the faint brown line framing the drawing. The paper is stuck to board and the reverse of the board is discoloured and spotted. It would frame extremely well.

Biography:
Fred Pegram or Frederick Pegram (19 December 1870 Somers Town, London - 23 August 1937), was a prolific English illustrator and cartoonist who produced work for The Pall Mall Gazette, Punch Magazine, The Idler, Illustrated London New, The Tatler, and The Daily Chronicle. He studied under Fred Brown and spent some time in Paris. He also painted, drew pencil portraits, did watercolours, used chalk and pastel, and produced etchings. He became one of the most consistent of magazine illustrators, maintaining a high standard and preferring a Georgian setting for his works. He succumbed to lung cancer on 23 August 1937.
The son of Alfred Pegram, a cabinet maker, Frederick, enrolled at the Westminster School of Art at age 15. Some of his fellow students were Henry Tonks, Aubrey Beardsley and Maurice Greiffenhagen. Pegram served as Special Constable at Buckingham Palace during World War I. Pegram's draughtsmanship was widely acclaimed and he produced the artwork for Mackintosh's Toffee advertisements, Player's, Ronuk Wax Polish, Selfridges, and some versions of the iconic Kodak Girl. Between 1889 and 1904 he exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy, and in 1925 was elected a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. He also designed posters for the Underground Group. In 1918 he moved into one of 15 artist's studios that were known as 'The Avenue' and located at 76 Fulham Road.