Watercolour by Henry Potter Stevens.Titled 'The Gatehouse'
Signed lower left. In white painted frame with off white mount.
Overall size approx. 17" x 21". Inside mount is 9.25" x 13".
Comes with a unique signed Certificate of Authenticity
Returns accepted. Buy with confidence.
Please contact for shipping outside UK mainland.
Henry Potter Stevens was born at Park Lane, London on 28 February 1875,
eldest child of Henry William Stevens (1837-15 March 1904), a veterinary
surgeon, and his wife Emma Potter, fourth daughter of Henry Potter of
Streatham Lodge, who married at Christ Church, Streatham on 11 December
1873. In 1881, Henry was a 6-year-old, living at 9 Park Lane, Mayfair
with his parents, Henry 42 and Emma 36, with his two siblings Fanny 4
and William 2, both born in London. Henry went up to Oxford to read
Chemistry where he gained a First in 1896 this was followed by a PhD
from Heidelberg University in Germany in 1899. He excelled in his
profession and soon became a prominent chemist for the rubber industry
and published two academic books 'The Paper Mill Chemist' (1908) and
'Rubber' (1915) and was a consultant to the Rubber Growers Association
for over thirty years up to the start of the Second World War. He
married at Fuller Baptist Church, Kettering, Northamptonshire on 7
September 1904, Edith Bloom Meadows (14 November 1878-18 January 1956),
third daughter of William Meadows, shoe manufacturer, of Beech House,
Kettering. In 1911, Henry was a 36-year-old analytical chemist living at
16 Brookfield Park, Highgate Road, London with his 32-year-old wife and
their 1-year-old son, Philip Rowe Stevens, born at St Pancras, London.
Following a divorce, he married secondly at Croydon in 1925, Dorothy Ann
Dexter (15 February 1902-4 April 1987) and in 1939 an analytical
chemist, living at Mills Farm, Redisham, Beccles, Suffolk with his wife
Dorothy. Successful career aside, he was also a talented painter, and
his watercolours were widely acclaimed, and he exhibited at the Royal
Academy, and he also exhibited at Colnagi's and in the provinces. A
member of Ipswich Art Club 1942-1953 from Mills Farm, Redisham, Beccles,
Suffolk exhibiting five watercolours in 1941, 'Winter Sunshine', 'A
Gloomy Day', 'Winter's Day', 'The Three Elms' and 'The Main Road' and
seven the following year 'Ruth', 'Charlotte', 'The Road to the Common',
'Syleham', 'Sunlit Woodland', 'The Farm' and 'Storm', six works in 1944
'The Lower Gates, Stoke-by-Nayland', 'The Plantation', 'The Dart near
Totnes', 'Townley Road, Dulwich', 'After the Harvest' and 'Kew Gardens'
and was a regular exhibitor. Also, a member of the Norfolk & Norwich
Art Circle 1946-1960 from Redisham. He died at Mills Farm, Redisham,
Beccles on 3 January 1965, aged 89. He was the major collector and
expert on Japanese inrô (to carry identity seals and medicine) as well
as his collections of Chinese art, scientific instruments and
gentleman's accessories, the former dispersed in a posthumous sale at
Sotheby's in 1966, his collection of inrô was sold by Bonham's on 19
October 2012.