Set of 4 Pastel Drawings -

A finely drawn group of intimate pastel studies, showing the artist's lover, Hilda, and there's quite tender, subtle beauty in these drawings. The sheets vary in size; the largest, on cream white paper, measures (22 x 14,5cm), the smallest (13 x 9cm). Unsigned; on wove paper. - Condition: a few mild foxing spots (at upper left corner) of the largest drawing, on white paper, and a little creasing. The three others are in excellent condition. - Size of the largest study: 8.2" x 5.2"; sheet: 8.8" x 5.7". - 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, and a huge part of the many graphite, charcoal, watercolour and ink drawings of the artist has only recently been brought 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 rapidly found at 'haroldhoperead.org.uk'.