Ewbank’s Auctions upcoming autumn sale will celebrate a hundred years of artistic innovation, from classic British painters to contemporary visionaries redefining modern art.
Modern and contemporary British art will be the focus at Ewbank’s auction house on Thursday, October 30, at 1pm.
The auction promises a captivating journey through the art of the last century, offering a diverse mix of oil paintings, prints, watercolours, and contemporary sculptures. Collectors will have the chance to acquire significant works from established names and emerging talents.
David Shepherd’s Elephants Amongst Thick Foliage, oil on canvas (Ewbank’s)
Public viewing opens on Monday, October 27, from 9am to 5pm, and continues daily until the day of the sale.
Leading the classic British contingent are two artists known for their mastery of detail and emotive subjects, both carrying pre-sale estimates of £4,000 to £6,000.
First is Cecil Kennedy (British, 1905–1997), often regarded as the finest British flower painter of the 20th century. His signed oil on canvas White Flowers (76 x 63cm) exemplifies the precision and quality that earned him prestigious patrons, including Queen Mary. Exhibition and Fine Art Society labels verso confirm its inclusion in the 1953 Flower Painting Exhibition in Bath. Kennedy’s meticulously arranged compositions were prepared by his wife, Winifred Aves, and inspired by 17th-century Dutch and Flemish masters. A small painted ladybird, a tradition reportedly begun by Queen Mary, appears in all his works.
Cecil Kennedy, White Flowers, oil on canvas (Ewbank’s)
Also estimated at £4,000 to £6,000 is a work by wildlife artist and conservationist David Shepherd (British, 1931–2017). His oil on canvas depicts elephants among thick foliage, signed and further dedicated verso. Shepherd’s passion for African wildlife began after witnessing a zebra poisoning in Tanzania, spurring him to found the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. His paintings became powerful visual statements for conservation as well as celebrated works of art.
Two distinctive oils on board by John Minton (British, 1917–1957) represent the British Neo-Romantic movement, each valued at £2,000 to £4,000. Quayside in Winter (1949) and Fish in a Net capture his lyrical, graphic style and emotional intensity. A teacher at the Royal College of Art, Minton’s brief but brilliant career left a lasting mark before his untimely death in 1957.
Jeffrey Pratt, View of St Ives Beneath Changing Skies. (Ewbank’s)
Jeffrey Pratt (British, b. 1940) continues the British landscape tradition with St Ives Beneath Changing Skies, oil on board, estimated at £1,000 to £1,500. Pratt is known for atmospheric, expressive views of the British coastline, echoing the legacy of Cornwall’s St Ives School.
Bringing the sale into the 21st century are three vinyl sculptures by KAWS (American, b. 1974): Dior Bee, Pink, Dior Bee, Black, and Dior Bee, Large Pink. Each, produced in collaboration with Dior in 2019, carries an estimate of £800 to £1,200. KAWS, also known as Brian Donnelly, has blurred the line between fine art, street culture, and high fashion. His Dior collaboration with Kim Jones was a defining moment in contemporary Pop Art.
John Minton, Quayside in Winter. (Ewbank’s)
Another contemporary highlight is Canary Wharf, an oil on canvas by Stephen Wiltshire (British, b. 1974), signed and dated January 18, 2008, and estimated at £1,000 to £2,000. Renowned for his ability to draw cityscapes entirely from memory, Wiltshire’s work captures London’s evolving skyline with extraordinary precision.
The sale also includes The Roller Skating Groupie (1971) by Alan Aldridge (British, 1938–2017), a spray-paint and incision work estimated at £500 to £800. Aldridge helped define the psychedelic aesthetic of the 1960s and 70s, designing album covers for The Beatles, The Who, and Elton John.
John Minton, Fish in a Net. (Ewbank’s)
Concluding the highlights is Army Leaves by Horst P. Horst (American, born Germany, 1906–1999), a signed photographic print estimated at £1,000 to £1,500. Best known for his fashion photography for Vogue, Horst captured this poignant wartime image at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in 1944 – a striking contrast to his elegant studio portraits.
Valuations are available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, without appointment. Jewellery valuations are by appointment with Ewbank’s gemmologists.
To view the full catalogue or register for live internet bidding, visit www.ewbanks.co.uk or call 01483 223101.
No Comment! Be the first one.