Mary Fedden, R.A. (b. 1915)

Mary Fedden studied at the Slade School of Fine Arts in London from 1932 to 1936. In 1951, she married the artist Julian Trevelyan. She went on to teach painting at the Royal College of Art from 1958 to 1964 and was the first woman tutor to teach in the Painting School. Her pupils included David Hockney and Allen Jones.

Irish Fishermen, Castle Townsend (lot 37) and Clonakilty, Co. Cork (lot 39) were inspired by Fedden's frequent summer holidays in Ireland. The subjects of all these works have been executed in a bold, expressive style with the vivid and contrasting colours that are typical of her best works.