Artist: R V Pitchforth

Title: 'Hot Day, Durban Bay' - an original signed watercolour painting, framed

Description: Roland Vivian Pitchforth, RA, RWS, LG (1895-1982) was a much respected painter of landscapes and coastal scenes, mainly in watercolour.  He was born in Wakefield, and studied at Wakefield School of Art (1912-14), Leeds School of Art (1914-15 and 1919-21), and then at the Royal College of Art (1922-25). His first one-man exhibition was held at the London Artists' Association in 1928. In 1929 Pitchforth first exhibited with the London Group (later becoming a member) and at the Royal Academy from 1941.  He was elected ARA 1942 and full RA in 1953.

During the Second World War he became an Official War Artist and had a major retrospective at Wakefield Art Gallery in 1943. He visited Ceylon and Burma 1945 and worked in South Africa 1945–48, exhibiting at Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Pitchforth's work is held in the Tate Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum, National Maritime Museum, Government Art Collection, National Museum of Wales, and many provincial galleries in the UK and overseas.

The present work is an original watercolour measuring about 14 x 21 inches image size and about 23.5 x 30 inches in its original wooden frame. It is signed in ink by the artist, dated 1948, and inscribed 'Hot day, Durban Bay'. This work was executed during Pitchforth's stay in South Africa mentioned above, and it was exhibited subsequently at his one man show at The Leicester Galleries in London W1 in 1954, where is was bought by Mr W Plomer. This beautiful watercolour is in first class condition, retaining its strong colour, and is 'ready to hang'.

We are also showing an original drawing in pen and wash by Pitchforth, measuring about 15 x 12.5 inches.  It is unframed.  The drawing is signed by the artist, and titled, and probably dates to the 1950s.  It is similar to drawings by Pitchforth held in the Tate Gallery and elsewhere.  The drawing is in good original condition, save for some relatively minor handling creases to the paper.  Pitchforth was widely acknowledged as a great draughtsman, remembered fondly by Dame Elisabeth Frink...... 'Vivian Pitchforth, wonderful draughtsman, he's dead now, white, white hair, a Yorkshireman. He was famous, you know, very well-known. He used to teach me drawing at Chelsea'. The drawing is priced at £50...

Price: £750

Size: 14" x 21" image size

Shipping: £15 to UK mainland. Please ask for other locations.

Ref #: 0838