Still Life with Roses in a Copper Jug

Original Oil Painting on Canvas 1950

by Leonard Applebee (British, 1914–2000)

• Signed with the artist's monogram and dated lower left.
• With original typewritten label verso.
• There are 30 paintings by this artist in the British National Art Collection.  For a similar example see Roses in the British Council Collection.
• Painting - 71cm x 56cm
• Frame - 95cm x 79cm 

Lot Notes

A very fine example of the work of highly regarded 20th century still life painter Leonard Applebee.  Signed with the artist's monogram and dated lower left.

Condition

In very fine condition.  Clean, most attractive, well framed and ready to hang.  There is a light dent to the canvas upper left.

Artist Information

Leonard Appelbee was an English painter and printmaker, most notable for his portraits and still-life paintings.  Appelbee was born in Fulham, the son of a coppersmith. He attended Goldsmiths College of Art from 1931 to 1934, before studying at the Royal College of Art until 1938. Whilst at the RCA, Appelbee met his future wife, the artist Frances Macdonald. Appelbee served in the Army throughout World War II. Early in the war he was in charge of a mobile anti-aircraft battery before taking part in classified operations for the Special Operations Executive. At the end of the war Appelbee completed two short commissions for the War Artists' Advisory Committee, one on returning former prisoners of war and the other of a scientist. After the war, Appelbee had works exhibited at the Royal Academy initially in 1947 and then on a regular basis thereafter. His first solo show was held at the Leicester Galleries in 1948. In 1951, the Arts Council commissioned large paintings from both Appelbee and Macdonald for the exhibition 60 Paintings for '51, which was part of the Festival of Britain celebrations in London. Macdonald contributed a painting of Penrhyn Quarry, entitled The Welsh Singer, whilst Appelbee produced the painting One-man Band. Appelbee taught at the Bournemouth College of Art but lost his job after the College implemented the recommendations of the Coldstream Report on the future teaching of art. He continued to paint and exhibit. He produced a number of fine portraits, notably for both Eton College and Corpus Christi, Cambridge, but was also well known for his still-life paintings of sea creatures. He also completed commissions for Sir Edward Marsh and for Essex County Council. In 1970, Appelbee won the Silver Medal at the Paris Salon and in 1977 he had a solo show at Plymouth. After 1977, a badly broken leg inhibited him from standing at an easel to paint and he turned to picture framing and then to writing verse. A volume of his poetry, That Voice was published by the Hillside Press in 1980. In 1989 Appelbee and Macdonald moved from the West Country to Kincardine-on-Forth and then to Aberdeen, to be near their only daughter. Works by Appelbee are held in the Imperial War Museum, the Tate and several regional museums in the United Kingdom, including Aberdeen Art Gallery, Leamington Spa Art Gallery and the collection of Leeds University.

General Information

Hang your investments on the wall

Art has long been regarded as a strong and safe investment. Ellen Kelleher a personal finance reporter for The Financial Times recently wrote an article recommending art, particularly in the $500 - $50,000 range as a sound long term investment with an impressive current average annual increase of 9.7 percent. See Hang your investments on the wall by Ellen Kelleher Published October 22 2010 by the Financial Times.

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Priory Fine Art specialises in high quality 17th - 20th Century British and European Fine Art. Our team have a combined experience of over 80 years in the field of fine art and have together handled the sale of many millions of pounds worth of art. As well as our own team of specialists we have close contacts from the leading auction houses who often assist us with particular pieces.

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Certificate of Authenticity

Every item we sell is fully guaranteed to be as described and a signed photo certificate is issued with every painting. We use the same cataloguing terms as most major auction houses, the terms that appear in the listing are also used on the certificates of authenticity. The cataloguing terms that we use have the following meanings;

1. where the bold coloured text which forms the listing's heading reads 'by' and is followed by the artist's full name (or the artist's initials, if his full name is unrecorded), the work is in our opinion by the artist;
2. where the expression "attributed to" is used, the work is in our opinion possibly a work by the artist, in whole or in part;
3. where the expression 'circle of' is used, the work is in our opinion a work of the period of the artist and showing his influence;
4. where the expression 'follower of' is used, the work is in our opinion a work executed in the artist's style but not necessarily by a pupil;
5. where the expression 'manner of' is used, the work is in our opinion a work executed in the artist's style but of a later date;
6. where the term "after" is used, the work is in our opinion a copy or pastiche (of any date) of a work by the artist. Where the term 'signed...' is used in our opinion the work has been signed by the artist, where the term 'with signature...' or 'bears signature...' is used in our opinion the signature is by a hand other than that of the artist.