AN ENGLISH CUBIST

WILLIAM ROBERTS:

Parson's Pleasure

Illustration © The Estate of John David Roberts. Reproduced with the permission of the William Roberts Society. Catalogue information based on the catalogue raisonné by David Cleall. For this and full details of the exhibitions cited, see the links below. Any auction prices quoted may not include all fees and taxes, such as VAT and Artist's Resale Right charges.

Parson's Pleasure (aka On the Lawn), c.1944
Oil on canvas, 40.5 cm x 51 cm

Until 1991 Parson's Pleasure was a secluded area for male-only nude bathing on the River Cherwell in the south-east corner of the University Parks at Oxford; the area now forms part of the parks.
PROVENANCE: Sotheby's 14 Nov. 1984 (mistitled The Ferry and dated 1940; £2,860) > Sotheby's 1987 (mistitled The Ferry and dated 1940; £10,450) > Sotheby's 20 Apr. 1991 (estimate £8,000–£12,000) > Samantha Frank > Osborne Samuel > Bonhams 22 Nov. 2023 (estimate £100,000–£150,000; unsold)
EXHIBITION HISTORY: Royal British Artists Society 1949 (priced £75), Royal Academy 1980, Newcastle 2004, Nottingham 2006, Chichester 2007, Chichester (2) 2016