Painted within the circle of Henry Scott Tuke (1858-1929), in oils on canvas, the wonderfully salient study of a nude boy, shown standing, half-length in profile, with one arm raised to a dark ground and within probably what is the original gilt composition gadrooned frame and surviving from the third quarter of the nineteenth century.
Unknown.
Henry Scott Tuke RA RWS (1858-1929), was an English visual artist; primarily a painter, but also a photographer. His most notable work was in the Impressionist style, and he is best known for his paintings of nude boys and young men. After his death, Tuke’s reputation faded, and he was largely forgotten until the 1970s, when he was rediscovered by the first generation of openly gay artists and art collectors. He has since become something of a cult figure in gay cultural circles, with lavish editions of his paintings published and his works fetching high prices at auctions. Elton John is a keen collector of Tuke’s works and in 2008 loaned eleven of his own pieces, including works in oil, pastel and watercolour, for an exhibition in Falmouth.
A work of real poise, capturing this boy’s youthful soul with a real effortless sensitivity.
The pictures canvas has craquelure and is a little dirty, though could obviously be cleaned if so desired. The frame is probably original and stable with some small areas of loss. It bears what we believe is a spurious pencil inscription verso reading ‘Sir Edward John Poynter’.
By appointment only.
