SOLD


Frank Brangwyn:
Home-Makers, circa 1920
Framed (ref: 5313)

Inscribed Building the New Home with additional various notes
Black and white chalk, 23 1/4 x 28 1/4 in. (59 x 72 cm.)

Tags: Frank Brangwyn chalk work

Provenance:  Abbot & Holder 2002, private collection. Literature: Roger Alford & Libby Horner (Eds), Brangwyn in His Studio, The Diary of His Assistant Frank Alford, 2004, p70 

Literature: D. Wilson, ‘The Mysterious Case of Frank Brangwyn – Brangwyn In His studio - The Diary of His Assistant Frank Alford (2004)’ The British Art Journal, Vol. VI, No. 1 (June 2005), pp. 86-7.

This is a study for one of four pendentives painted for the State Capitol, Jefferson City, USA, 1915-1925, the murals representing 'Missouri in Four Great Historical Periods'.  the other titles were Historic Landing, Pioneers and Builders.

This original drawing is on of a 100 works by Brangwyn better known through its appearance in the Brangwyn Portfolio where it appears as a reproduction measuring 27.5 x 38 cm.   The Brangwyn Portfolio published, by E F d'Alignan and Paul Turpin in 1927, was a response to the demand for high quality reproductions of Brangwyn's work.   Brangwyn himself chose 100 items which he felt were representative of his range of disciplines, including 12 original etchings and 3 original lithographs. The remaining 85 works were lithographic reproductions of watercolours, pastels and drawings produced by photomechanical means to which Brangwyn and his assistants added chalk or watercolour through stencils, giving the impression of original works. In fact such is the quality of these reproductions that they are frequently mistaken for the real thing - even by the top auction houses.

The folios, presented in a folder measuring 45x64cm, were produced in a limited edition of 120, costing 100 guineas each. Most were sold to Japan, America and Europe. Works produced before 1922 were numbered 1-50, before 1927 were numbered 51-100. 

We are grateful to Dr Libby Horner for assistance.  Home-Makers will appear as M1135 in her forthcoming catalogue raisonne