1st Aug, 2021 13:00

The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction

 
  Lot 515
 

WINTER SCENE WITH COAL-MAN, ROTTEN ROW, AN OIL BY HERBERT WHONE

* HERBERT WHONE (BRITISH 1925 - 2011),
WINTER SCENE WITH COAL-MAN, ROTTEN ROW (aka "A Glasgow Winter")
oil on canvas, signed and dated '61
image size 61cm x 108cm, overall size 76cm x 122cm
Framed.
Provenance: Fully illustrated and titled in "Herbert Whone, Glasgow In Transition" plate 20, page 68 and a copy of this 128 page hardback book included with this lot. Acquired by the current owner in The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction 27th March 2016 lot 2156 then titled "A Glasgow Winter" for £9920 (premium) and at the time, a new auction record price for an artwork by Herbert Whone.
Note: In our opinion, one of the finest examples of the work of Herbert Whone to be offered at auction. Herbert Whone was born in Bingley, West Yorkshire, where his parents were both employed in the cloth mills. He was encouraged by his mother to ''improve'' himself culturally, and from an early age took photographs and practised the violin. After education at the Royal Manchester College of Music (now the Royal Northern College of Music) and Manchester University, he secured positions in the Royal Opera House Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, before moving to Glasgow in 1955, where he took up the position of deputy leader of the Scottish National Orchestra. He was inspired by Glasgow's changing fortunes and painted a series of notable canvases featuring the beauty of a city and surrounding areas in transition. His paintings of trams and shipbuilding on and around the Clyde, to pick two of his fondest subjects, were presented with warmth and beauty, almost impressionistic in their depiction of glowing sunsets and use of rich colour. Herbert Whone (often incorrectly catalogued as Herbert Bannister Whone, his father's name) continued to paint long after his departure from Glasgow in 1964 and made several trips back to Scotland to paint, but It's the relatively small body of work produced in and around the city that stand testament to his exceptional talent. Whone's paintings, while highly collected and critically acclaimed, are still to attain the full recognition and commercial value they deserve and will surely eventually achieve. Known collectors of Herbert Whone's paintings included Joan Eardley, Margot Sandeman, Cyril Gerber, Johnny Beattie and Magnus Magnusson. Growing collector interest in Herbert Whone has seen his auction record price being beaten on an almost annual basis in recent years and his current "high" had been £11,000 (hammer) until The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction on 6th June 2021 when "Glasgow Tram" (lot 520, a 57 x 40.5cm oil) sold for £13,000 (hammer). This latest record price is even more impressive as "Glasgow Tram" is significantly smaller than half the size of "Winter Scene With Coal-man, Rotten Row". Auction appearances of Herbert Whone's larger paintings are becoming ever rarer. Public collections include: Glasgow Museums & Galleries, The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, The Hepworth, Kirklees Museums & Galleries, Salford Museums & Galleries and The Mercer Gallery (Harrogate).

 

A condition report is offered as an indication of any issues visible to the naked eye. As none of our staff is a professional conservator or restorer, buyers must satisfy themselves in respect of condition and McTear’s can provide contact details of local professionals who can provide fully comprehensive expert reports, usually for a modest charge. The condition report does not form part of any contract between McTear's and the buyer, and all lots are offered "as is" in accordance with our Terms of Business available on our website.

 

Sold for £7,000
Estimated at £8,000 - £12,000


 
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