| Artist Name |
Harry Jefferson Barnes (1915-1982) |
| Title |
Reclining Nude |
| Description |
This interesting British 1940's oil painting is attributed to Harry Jefferson Barnes. Barnes trained at the Slade School of Art and later went on to become Director of the Glasgow School of Art. Painted circa 1945 the composition is of a woman reclining in an armchair, head resting on her hand, the other arm spread along the back of the chair, one leg bent up. A vibrant blue throw partly covers the chair. Her skin tones are a wonderful mix of browns and greens with a splash of red on her lips. Barnes uses a square brush and the painting has the look of a Slade School trained artist. Verso is an equally interesting painting of industrial Glasgow with a few bare trees fenced off for private enjoyment. |
| Provenance |
Glasgow estate. |
| Medium |
Oil on Canvas |
| Size |
30 x 24 inches |
| Frame |
Housed in a complementary frame, 37 inches by 31 inches and in good condition. |
| Condition |
Good condition. |
| Biography |
Harry Jefferson Barnes (1915-1982) was the Director of the Glasgow School of Art, and in 1965 he set up the Mackintosh School of Architecture, and he was also an influential pioneer of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society. His interest in craft and design led him to acquiring the Edinburgh Tapestry Company in 1955, and throughout his life he contributed to the success and celebration of art and design in Scotland. Barnes was also an accomplished painter, and his work is rarely offered at auction. He was a painted in oils of landscapes and townscapes. He grew up in Sheffield where his father was a professor at the University. He was educated at Repton School and went on to study at the Slade under Randolph Schwabe. He was appointed CBE in 1971 and was knighted in 1980. Barnes had a personal and professional friendship with Randolph Schwabe, whom he studied under at the Slade, and who recommended him for the post of Assistant Master in Painting and Drawing at Glasgow School of Art. He married Schwabe's daughter Alice in 1941. Barnes retired from his post as Director of the Glasgow School of Art in 1980 to his home in Argyll. He died on 31 May 1982. |
| Price |
£3400 |
