Rex John Whistler (1905-1944)
"Pilgrims Hall, Essex"
Signed and dated 1936, inscribed with title to stretcher verso, oil on canvas, 39cm by 54.5cm

Sold together with a copy of "The Private Life of a Country House (1912-39)", Lewis, L, David & Charles (1980), and "Rex Whistler, His Life and His Drawings", Whistler, L, Art & Technics Ltd (1948) and copy correspondence between patron and artist.

Provenance: Pilgrims Hall, near Brentwood, Ongar Road, Essex, commissioned by JFN Lawrence, whose family lived at the property 1913-1968
Thence by descent to NW Lawrence
Thence by descent Lesley Lewis nee Lawrence in 1991

The artist's visit to Pilgrims Hall and the commission is recorded by the Lawrence family as follows :

"Rex Whistler was pale dark-haired young man, friendly but evidently shy, sitting out on the lawn on a very cold June day making a detailed pencil drawing, subsequently squared up for transfer. He ( Rex Whistler) spent the night and was very agreeable company. Delivery of the finished painting was considerably delayed by James Lawrence, a determined man, managed to get it from him a few months later. Possibly feeling rather contrite, the artist sent him two tickets for the dress rehearsal of "Victoria Regina" a delightful show for which he designed the scenery"

"James Lawrence, who frequented picture galleries and bought paintings, usually watercolours, went to an exhibition of pictures of country houses by Rex Whistler, and possibly others, and gave the commission there. At that time Pilgrims Hall, on which great care and imaginative planning were exercised, was perhaps at its very best. No more improvements were made to the garden before the war, and after that much of it had to be let go. The house is now (as written 1991) externally little altered however".