24
WHYTES
SINCE 1783
,
30
Sir William Orpen RA RI RHA
(1878-1931)
“WITHOUT PREJUDICE” - PENCIL SKETCH OF
MAJOR RALPH WALTER MAUDE and
ILLUSTRATED LETTER TO MAJOR MAUD,
1920 (A PAIR)
pencil on paper (1); pen and ink on paper (1)
the former inscribed lower centre; the latter
signed “love Orps”
7.25 by 3.75in. (18.42 by 9.53cm)
Provenance:
By descent from Major Ralph Walter Maude;
Private collection;
Whyte’s, 19 February 2007, lot 63;
Whence purchased by the present owner
Orpen met Captain Maude during World War I in
Amiens, where Maude was A.P.M. (Army Provost
Marshall).The two became great friends, and
Orpen recounts numerous humorous anecdotes
about Maude in his memoir,
An Onlooker in
France.
In 1918 Maude was promoted to Major
and appointed A.P.M. Cologne, where he remained
until demobilisation in 1920. He then accepted
the position of Secretary to the Guard’s Club in
London. In the letter, written from the Hotel
Majestic, Paris, 14 November 1920, Orpen asks for
his friend’s help in connection to a portrait of Lord
Cavan that he had painted for the Guards Club. As
it transpired, Maude never assumed duties at the
club owing to illness, and died of T. B. in 1922.
Accompanying the lot are two letters from Major
Maude’s son, dated 1987, detailing the
background to the letter and pencil sketch.
The letter measures 12.75 by 8 inches. (2)
€
4,000-
€
5,000 (£3,420-£4,270 approx.)
31
Sir William Orpen RA RI RHA (1878-1931)
BORED STIFF AGAIN
pen and ink on paper; (mounted)
inscribed with title upper left
9.50 by 16in. (24.13 by 40.64cm)
Provenance:
Whyte’s, 26 May 2007, lot 180;
Private collection
The figure with his hat blown off in the wind atop some sea-cliffs
is a self-portrait of the artist.The same small bull-dog that is
depicted here appears in other sketches by the artist showing his
studio with Ms Gardenia and Mrs St. George c.1907-1909.
€
1,200-
€
1,500 (£1,030-£1,280 approx.)
Ex 30
