
Deborah Cliffe
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Senior Sale Coordinator
PROVENANCE:
Private collection, Denmark
Painted circa 1904, the present lot is a sketch of one of Tuke's Falmouth models, possibly Harry Cleave, who was modelling for Tuke between 1901 and 1905. Cleave appears in several notable paintings at this period, including On the Bowsprit and The Mid-day Rest, both painted on an old derelict ship 'The Mazatlan' in the summer of 1905.
When getting his models to pose as sailors, Tuke had various props, including different hats and clothes, for his models to wear. The red tam o'shanter worn in the present lot features in several of Tuke's sailor paintings, including the Mid-day Rest or Sailor's Yarning of 1905. Clay pipes also feature as props in this and other of Tuke's sailor paintings. However, the pipe in this painting looks like it is the model's own.
The present lot may be A Quiet pipe, which is listed as a sketch in Tuke's register for 1904 (R466), and was exhibited with Harris of Plymouth in the summer of 1904. Tuke returned to Falmouth in July 1904, after a five month trip to the Mediterranean to sail and paint, and notes in his diary of 31 July: 'Painted H. Cleave and fine sail nearly to the manacles.' For Tuke to fit in a painting and a sail so far out from Falmouth harbour in one day, he most probably painted Harry on board his sailing boat. The present lot was clearly painted on board a floating vessel in Falmouth harbour, as the model is set against the backdrop of a roughly painted sea, and very rapidly painted sketch of a classic sailing ship with a small rowing boat along side.
We are grateful to Catherine Wallace, author of Catching the Light. The Art and Life of Henry Scott Tuke for her assistance in cataloguing this lot.