Duncan Grant (British, 1885-1978) Angelica Painting at Charleston signed 'D Grant.' (upper right) oil on paper laid to board 77.2 x 51.6 cm. (30 3/8 x 20 3/8 in.) Painted circa 1940 Footnotes: Provenance The Artist (until at least 1964) Sale: Christie's, London, 4 June 2004, lot 19, where acquired by the present owner Private Collection, U.S.A. Exhibited London, Spink, Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell Design and Decoration 1910-1960, 1991, cat.no.99 The setting for this delightfully spontaneous image is the main studio at Charleston. Grant shows his daughter at work (possibly on a still life), facing the main door of the room, some flowers on a chest to the left. It is unlikely that Grant would have asked her to pose. He would have been at work himself but would suddenly have seen the possibilities of the subject and swiftly brushed it in, only perhaps asking her occasionally to hold the position of her painting arm or of her feet. This work was almost certainly painted before Angelica's marriage to David Garnett in 1942, when she moved away from Charleston. It is worth noting that the chair, at Angelica's right, is a Heal's chair given to Vanessa Bell by her sister Virginia. It was roundly condemned for its modernity by Walter Sickert on a visit to Vanessa's London studio. The present work previously hung in the dining room of Charleston and can be seen in images of Grant taking lunch photographed for the Telegraph Magazine in 1964. We are grateful to Richard Shone for compiling this catalogue entry. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * AR * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing