Sir Alfred James Munnings, P.R.A., R.W.S. (1878-1959)

Farm sales and horse fairs fascinated the artist and became an early theme in his work. Munnings vividly describes such scenes in his autobiography, 'A Country Horse Fair. Bright sun, tents, crowds and a horse hustled by one man and held by another’ (A.J. Munnings, An Artist's Life, Bungay, 1950, pp. 142-43). The central motif in The fair, Norwich of an orange seller is echoed in his most celebrated picture on this theme A Gala Day, 1903 (Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston).

Munnings studied watercolour painting for six years under Gertrude Offord and exhibited at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours from 1899-1916 and later at the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours from 1921-1937. Appreciating the portability and spontaneity of the medium he often took watercolours with him in his caravan while he travelled the countryside searching for subjects to paint en plein air. They were well-received by contemporary critics who commented on his 'frankness, the spontaneity of his touch, the originality of his colour scheme' (Eastern Daily Press, 31 March 1916).

We are grateful to Lorian Peralta-Ramos for her assistance in preparing this catalogue entry. This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the works of Sir Alfred Munnings.