Entangled in a dramatic narrative, this fascinating collection by the artist Dorothy Hepworth (1894-1978) includes highly expressive portraits, landscape scenes and still life. Acquired as part of a single portfolio from The Canterbury Auction Galleries, the provenance of these works can be traced to dealer-collector-researcher Michael Dickens.
Following his death, a collection of paintings from his private estate came up at Canterbury Auction Galleries, which included works by Hepworth, although many were either signed or inscribed by Patricia Preece. Most of the works we are presenting are unsigned, however, some do include signatures/monograms by 'Patricia Preece' and 'Dorothy Hepworth'.
Dorothy Hepworth (1894-1978) was an artist and the lifelong partner and companion of Stanley Spencer's second wife Patricia Preece, whom she befriended at the Slade School of Fine Art. While studying there, Hepworth first showed at the RA, and in 1918-19 she graduated with first-class honours. With Preece, she set up a studio in London, later spending four years with her in Paris, where Hepworth studied at Atelier Colarossi.
After returning to England in 1925, they rented accommodation in the West of England, and in 1927 moved to Cookham, Berkshire, residing in Stanley Spencer’s marital home while he lived in a bedsit in Shepherd's Bush. During Preece’s marriage to Spencer, who was 'obsessed' with her, she persuaded him to sign over the house and his financial affairs, while she continued to exhibit Hepworth's work as her own. The couple resided there until Patricia Preece passed away in 1966. Virtually all of the paintings, allegedly by Patricia Preece, are now known to be by Dorothy Hepworth, especially the later work.
In fact, Preece achieved something of a reputation during the 1930’s as an artist of quality, attracting the attention of notables including Virginia Woolf. This was entirely based on exhibiting under her own name the paintings and drawings executed by Dorothy Hepworth. Dorothy Hepworth did exhibit under her own name at the Royal Academy, Lefevre Gallery, New English Art Club and at the Leger Galleries. A studio sale at Christie’s South Kensington in 1984 comprised 500 paintings and over 1,500 drawings from Hepworth’s studio. Included were still life works, figure studies and landscapes in and around Cookham.
