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Evelyn Dunbar:
Unidentified sitting gardener holding a bowl
Framed (ref: 9015)
Blue pencil 

Tags: Evelyn Dunbar pencil men Evelyn Dunbar at The Watts Gallery

Provenance: Roger Folley; Alasdair Dunbar; Hammer Mill Oast Collection

If his bowl contains eggs rather than fruit or potatoes, this study, style and punning suggests Dunbar’s series of advertisement designs for Shell petrol. In the late 1930s she explored several ideas for commercial posters, but there is no record of any of them ever being used. (During World War 2, however, ICI made use of a Dunbar image of Old Mother Hubbard in connection with combating food shortages.) Commercial art was not Dunbar’s forte, although she admired Edward Bawden’s and Barnett Freedman’s commercial work.

We are grateful to Christopher Campbell-Howes for assistance.