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Los 1064
Dorothea Sharp ROI, RBA (1874-1955) Paddling in the shallows, probably Bosham Signed, oil on canvas laid onto board, 99.5cm by 101.5cmProvenance: Callard of London Galleries, Chicago, USA Private Collection Bonhams, "20th Century British Art", July 2, 2008, Lot 63 Private Collection, UKFor similar composition, see "Paddling in the Shallows, Bosham Common Beyond", Sotheby's London, June 27 2006, Lot 77. A further related work entitled "Paddlers" forms part of Gallery Oldham and was purchased in 1937. Mansion House, Cardiff also holds a work in the collection, "Girl with a Shrimp Net" on a very similar theme. Known for her sun-drenched impressionistic oil paintings, Dorothea Sharp captured the joy of childhood, and the beauty in everyday moments through her coastal scenes and depictions of florals. Despite the idyllic nature of the subject matter, she injects the pictures with all the vibrancy and rhapsody that life and light bring.Born in Kent in 1874, she lived, studied and worked in the south of England, enrolling in Richmond Art School in 1895 before continuing her education at the Regent Street Polytechnic. Sharp travelled extensively around Europe, but most formatively was her time in Paris which resulted in her development towards Impressionism. The work of the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists evidently made an indelible impact on the artist, after which she adopted an en plein-air technique. This impressionistic and spontaneous style was maintained for the rest of her artistic career.Sharp was, and remains, a prolifically exhibited artist, with works shown by many respected institutions including the Royal Academy, Royal Society of British Artists, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Society of Women Artists and Fine Art Society, along with the Paris Salon. Sharp became an Associate of the Society of Women Artists in 1903, was elected as a member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1907 and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 1922. Thickly applied paint with prominent impasto. Canvas delaminated from board in a couple of places, presenting as a series of bulges: one shallow bulge to the left of the object held by the little girl with stripy outfit, and more prominent bulges within and below the little girl in lilac and the smaller child to the left of the boat (see images in raking and normal light). A few tiny dabs of retouching to old losses in a patch at the left (see UV Images), and a further T-shaped retouching to an area of damage in the bottom of the green net (see images). Areas of thickest impasto have minor brittle age and drying cracks in places, all appear secure. Old varnish has pooled and yellowed in the troughs of the paint and canvas lending a slightly yellowish mottled overall appearance. A little cotton wool stuck in the surface in places. A few squashed peaks of impasto, presumably done in the studio when wet. Slightly uneven surface gloss due to the original materials. Light surface dirt and minor surface accretions.
