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

In the present lot, Sutherland permitted himself a much closer observation of naturalistic detail than had been characteristic of his work for the last fifteen years, a tendency that in a sense culminated in the first of his portraits (also 1949), which resulted from his meeting with Somerset Maugham at his house at Cap Ferrat. Indeed Maugham's slightly dry and prickly persona is curiously foreshadowed in Sutherland's 1948 painting of a cigale, posed against a bright red backdrop (Redfern Gallery, London, illustrated in M. Hammer, Graham Sutherland, London, Dulwich Picture Gallery, 2005, p. 163).

We are very grateful to Martin Hammer for preparing the catalogue entries for lots 22, 24, 52, 78, 121 and 122.