Diary extracts for Feb to March 1949
1st Feb 1949:
Mr Munt [a former friend of Aubrey Beardsley] died . . . shattering for his wife in hospital with a broken leg.
26th Feb 1949:
Have been working some time now on “The Chapel” again – whether I can finish it or not remains to be seen. Unfortunately it is the kind of thing that can go on for ever.
27th Feb 1949:
Nan Kivell came down in his car driven by his Arab youth to collect a few more paintings, as Wyndham Lewis may be sufficiently interested to write an article in The Listener. He liked the Chapel picture; I felt the other things were lousy. He said nothing is selling just now which is depressing.
28th Feb 1949:
Double page colour reproduction of the smaller ‘Dunkirk’ in today’s copy of “Life” also smaller one of ‘Dunkirk Beaches’ in colour.
Painted hard all day on the Chapel.
Nan Kivell rang to say he could not find the large version of The Dreamer – I hope it turns up.
The article by W Lewis is “off’. I thought it would be.
5th Mar 1949:
Motored up to London, taking Mrs. Gubb [the Eurich's home help] and her son Bob up with me for their first taste of London.
. . . Had a pretty dreadful journey home. It started to snow, and ice formed rapidly on the windscreen, so had to get out constantly to remove it. Mrs Gubb and son enjoyed themselves evidently.
5th Mar 1949:
To London. Collected George Barnes’ picture from the BBC and took it and The Chapel and a flower piece to Redfern.
I felt very depressed, all the landscapes looked dreadful in colour, lacking in all delicacy.
Certainly the best there are The Boggarts, The Guy and The Sea Harvest which is fortunately one of the latest. NK seems to think it looks better than he expected and they have sold the Brixham Harbour at Night for £100, which at any rate makes a start, as things are evidently terribly tight just now.
Hardly feel I can face people at the Private View.” (8th March 1949)
8th Mar 1949:
Preview at Redfern
Mavis seemed to think it quite good.
Presently our friends began to turn up. Bill and Molly Wilkinson . . . I was surprised when they decided to buy ‘The Guy’ (24x20) . . . Nellie [old family friend] purchased a [Flowers in a Silver Goblet]
. . . Mavis left by train and I went on to Edward Le Bas’ studio to a meeting of ARAs to discuss suggestions for getting more power in the RA.
19th Mar 1949:
Rang up the Redfern to find out how things were going. Only the ‘animals in the snow’ has been sold since opening day.
28th Mar 1949:
Sending in day at RA. Redfern sent in Marine Harvest and Saintes Maries de la Mer.