This is a dramatic, powerful and provocative painting which supports a view that Lenkiewicz was an outstanding figure painter. Esther in Orange and Red Dress is part of Project 18; The Painter with Women.

It is inscribed extensively on the reverse by Lenkiewicz with references to the Daemon Series – St Anthony Theme which addresses temptation and addiction. There is a further reference by the Painter to the theme of the Double where the identity of ‘oneself’ is reflected and exists in the ‘other’.

The estimate for this Lenkiewicz painting is £15,000-20,000 and it is offered on 23 April 2009 in Exeter together with 11 other Lenkiewicz originals with estimates from £1,000-£20,000.

This is the first original Beryl Cook painting we have sold and it will make an important addition to the strong group of paintings by major 20th Century British artists like Robert Lenkiewicz, Fred Yates and Dorothea Sharp, all of whom have a connection to the West Country and all of whom are represented in our forthcoming sale.

We have sold prints by Beryl Cook but, since Cook died, her work has not really ‘taken off’ and two major paintings, Rialto Bridge, Venice and The Vicars’s Tea Party, that were both offered in London, each just made their reserves at £20,000 and £25,000 respectively.

The painting offered here, Mop Heads, which is typically iconic, jolly and animated, has an estimate of £15,000-20,000 and will go under the hammer on Thursday 23 April. It is a great opportunity to buy a Beryl Cook original which, I think, would be a great addition to an ambitious private collection

Beryl Cook, original oil painting called 'Mop Heads'.
Estimate £15,000-20,000 for sale 23 April 2009.

Daniel Goddard will start blogging shortly.

Some of the drawings and sketches by Robert Lenkiewicz that were sold in large folio groups in the Lenkiewicz Studio Sale 2008 have been re-offered for sale this month at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood in Exeter. The drawings by Lenkiewicz had been removed from their folios and individually mounted and framed to a nice standard. I would estimate the framing cost of each to be in the region of £50.

Robert O Lenkiewicz (1941-2002)
Cartoon drawing of a bird and a chick arguing over a perch pen and black ink on a diary page 30 x 19.5cm
18 NOVEMBER 2008 SOLD FOR £160

The drawings were largely early, from the late 60s and 70s, mostly made while Lenkiewicz was still in London. They were quick ink sketches of horses, some anatomical examples and figure studies. We put realistic and sensible estimates in the range £80-150 on each of the framed drawings and, with one exception, they all sold within estimate, typically in the £70-100 range. I expect to see more of these minor Lenkiewicz works coming to the market next year and it will be interesting to watch how the market and Lenkiewicz collectors respond.

Robert O Lenkiewicz (1941-2002)
Anatomical study
black ink drawing
27.5 x 18cm
18 NOVEMBER 2008 SOLD FOR £80