Cheffins
Los 370
Carmencita; an abstract to the reverse signed and dated 'LILIAN HOLT 54' (lower right) oil on board 74 x 62.5cmFootnote: Provenance Sale; Roseberys, London, 13 June 2006, lot 1 With Abbott and Holder, London, where acquired in 2006 It has been suggested that the present work could be a self portrait of the artist. British artist Lilian Thirza Charlotte Holt, also known by her married name, Bomberg, received her early training at Putney Art School, before serving in the Women’s Land Army during the First World War. Following the War, she took further art classes at Regent Street Polytechnic. In 1923, Holt married her first husband, the art dealer Jacob Mendelson, and in 1924 gave birth to her daughter, Dinora. During this time, Holt was completely dedicated to her young family and struggled to find opportunities to paint, but through her husband’s work she was constantly exposed to art, developing admiration for works by Sickert, Bomberg and Epstein. In 1929, having divorced Mendelson the previous year, Holt married the artist David Bomberg and in 1935 gave birth to her second daughter, Diana. After her marriage to Bomberg, Holt largely abandoned painting, focussing her efforts entirely on nurturing her husband’s career. It was only in 1945, upon the insistence of Bomberg, that Lilian resumed painting. This, however, was short lived, as in 1957, Lilian once again interrupted her career to care for Bomberg, whose health at this time was in decline. After Bomberg’s death, Holt once again recommenced her painting career, travelling to Mexico, Basutoland, Andalusia, Yugoslavia, Morocco, Turkey, and Iceland to paint, whilst continuing to promote Bomberg’s artistic legacy.Condition report: Oil on board with an earlier composition on the reverse. The board is slightly bowed forward. The paint layers are in a good condition overall, there is some wear and abrasion at the edges. The upper edge of the frame is loose and care should be taken when handling.
