Description

A loose oil study of a young dark haired woman. The artist has left the portrait unfinished, showing under drawing and colour tests on the raw canvas. There is an official artist's stamp on the canvas and at the back is information on the artist, the origin of the painting and the previous dealer (Christie's).

The painting has been presented in an impressive dark wood frame with ornate slip and egg and dart carving at the outer edge and a gilt inner window.

On canvas laid to board.

Condition

The painting has some dirtying to the surface and a scratch to the paint along the top edge. The frame shows some splitting at the top left and bottom right corners. The gilt inner window shows some scratches and dirtying.

Biography

Patrick Lambert Larking, RP, ROI, NS (1907-1981) was a well-known painter in oil and watercolour of portraits, figure subjects, landscapes and coastal scenes. He was born at Rudgwick in West Sussex and studied art at the Royal Academy Schools under Charles Sims and F. Ernest Jackson from 1923 and later at Academie Julian in Paris. In 1930 he moved to Canada, where he married in 1935, and by the late 1930s he returned to Exhibited, living in London SW7. Larking exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1939, and at New English Art Club, Royal Society of Portrait Painters (RP), Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI), Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) and the National Society (NS). He was elected a member of the NS 1947, ROI 1951, and RP 1965. Larking has work in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. During his years in Canada he exhibited with the Royal Canadian Academy. After leaving London, Patrick Larking settled at Colyton in Devon.