Hilda Standing in Interior - [Pen & Ink Drawing]

Pen & ink, graphite drawing. A fine study of the artist's housekeeper and lover, Hilda. Unsigned; on wove paper, and laid to backing paper with a hand drawn border. - Condition: typical for a picture of this age, with some minor discolouration and only a few very mild tiny foxing spots; quite good. - Size: 10.4" x 5.2"; sheet: 13.4" x 9.3". -
Provenance: ex collection of the artist's lover, model and housekeeper, Hilda; given to Hilda's nephew Dennis A.S. Hopper upon Hilda's death; given to Douglas James Hopper (Hilda's great nephew) upon his father Dennis's death. - Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from a British art dealer. -
Early 20th century British artist who was remarkably skilled in a variety of drawing techniques. A huge part of the many graphite, charcoal, watercolour and ink drawings of the artist has only recently come into the open. - During the years in Tunbridge Wells (Kent; early 1930s - 1959), Hope Read lived an avant-garde lifestyle with his live-in housekeeper, life model and mistress, who we know only as Hilda; here they lived in the basement flat of a modest detached Victorian villa. - More biographical info is quickly found at 'haroldhoperead.org.uk'.