Lot 2031 of Gorringe’s sale appeared to be an interesting oil by Senior in the latter category. Entered unframed and in untouched condition from a local private vendor, this signed and dated 1904 canvas, measuring 20in by 2ft (51 x 61cm), was an atmospheric scene of sun filtering through trees across a village square, seemingly inspired by one of the artist’s many trips to the Continent.
The numerous paintings Senior made of Runswick Bay have an obvious appeal for Yorkshire-based buyers, particularly when they are sold at Bonhams Leeds, but this particular work had a more cosmopolitan appeal that triggered competition from five telephone bidders up to a triple-estimate £13,500, one of the highest prices achieved for the artist in recent years.
Also ranking as a sleeper at this Sussex sale was an ‘overpainted print” of St Mark’s Square, Venice After Francesco Zanin (19th century).
Bearing a signature, this 17in by 2ft 1in (43 x 53cm) was estimated at just £200-250, but keen competition on the day pushed the bidding up to £7200, prompting the auctioneers to comment “obviously it wasn’t overpainted”. However, as similar-sized autograph works by Zanin tend to make that sort of money at auction, they were probably equally justified in adding “no one got it that cheaply”.
Triple-estimate £13,500 allows vendor to enjoy a Senior moment…
The Lewes auctioneers Gorringe’s (15% buyer’s premium) experienced one or two pleasant surprises in the third-day picture section of their September 9-11 sale. Alan Windsor’s Handbook of Modern British Painting and Printmaking 1900-1990 describes the Wakefield-born, Slade-trained Mark Senior (1862-1927) as an artist whose “early painting was influenced by Clausen whilst later work reflected the techniques of Steer, Whistler, Boudin and the Impressionists”.
