Lot 290: John Cecil Stephenson (1889-1965)

Clarabella
signed and inscribed 'CECIL STEPHENSON 6 MALL STUDIOS/HAMPSTEAD NW3' (on the stretcher) and signed again and inscribed again 'CECIL STEPHENSON/EGG TEMPERA' (on the reverse)
tempera on canvas laid on board
32 1/4 x 24 in. (81.9 x 61 cm.)
Painted in 1950.

London, Fischer Fine Art, Cecil Stephenson 1889-1965: Paintings, Gouaches and Drawings 1932-1957, October - November 1976, no. 16, as 'Painting'.

S. Guthrie, The Life and Art of John Cecil Stephenson, Cumbria, 1977, p. 106.

with Galleria Milano, Milan.

Born in Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham, John Cecil Stephenson studied at Darlington Technical College (1906 - 08), Leeds School of Art (1908 - 14), Royal College of Art (1914 - 18), and the Slade (1918). In 1919 he he took on Sickert's studio in Hampstead where he was later joined by Herbert Read, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore. In 1934 he exhibited with the 7 & 5 Society along with Ben Nicholson, Ivon Hitchens, Henry Moore and John Piper. A major contributor to the Festival of Britain (30 pictures), he suffered three strokes in 1958 leaving him tragically paralysed.

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