Graham Sutherland, O.M. (1903-1980)

In 1942 Graham Sutherland, whilst working as an official war artist, was commissioned to paint the tin mines at Geevor in Cornwall. Sutherland was inspired by these dramatic mines and described them as having only 'the vaguest relation to the war but I was certainly presented with a new world – and a world of such beauty and such mystery that I shall never forget it……'. This extraordinary series of drawings skilfully re-created the claustrophobic world of these mines and were almost certainly influenced by Henry Moore’s recent series of Shelter drawings.

The present drawing was part of a group of Sutherland's works bought directly from the artist by Pier Paolo and Marzia Ruggerini in 1965. Pier Paolo was a celebrated Italian film maker, and in 1967 his documentary on the artist led Sutherland to return to Wales to paint there for the first time in twenty years. The Ruggerinis became great friends and collectors of Sutherland and their house, Il Castello in Pavia near Milan, held a famous collection of the artist’s work.