Paul Martin with some of the Frank Budgen consignment.
Budgen’s daughter Joan inherited works from her artist father’s studio and spoke with Martin, who runs The Table Gallery in Corsham, Wiltshire, alongside TV presenting work. He recently took on his new role at Henry Aldridge & Son of Devizes and the pictures will be sold across two auctions, with the first scheduled for January 27.
More than 60 works from the studio will be offered including oil paintings, drawings, sketch books and portfolios of studies.
A portrait of Claude McKay by Frank Budgen, £2000-3000 at Henry Aldridge & Son.
Among the highlights is an oil painting of Harlem Renaissance Jamaican-American poet and writer Claude McKay (1890-1948). During the First World War McKay lived in the UK and in 1920 spent a year as a lodger with Budgen and his wife Francine in Hampstead, north London. He became part of the socialist and Marxist workers movement and attended meetings with the couple in Camden. The picture is estimated at £2000-3000.
Oil painting of James Joyce titled Finnegans Wake by Frank Budgen, £1000-£1500 at Henry Aldridge & Son.
English painter, writer and socialist activist Budgen was known for his friendship with author James Joyce (1882-1941). They spent time together in Zurich during the First World War when Joyce was writing his novel Ulysses. The artist wrote a book about that period (James Joyce and the Making of Ulysses) and produced several portraits of the novelist.
Paul Martin with a charcoal of James Joyce by Frank Budgen, £800-£1200 at Henry Aldridge & Son.
Also among the expected star lots is an oil painting of Joyce titled Finnegans Wake (after his novel) estimated at £1000-£1500 and a charcoal of the author sitting crossed legged estimated at £800-£1200.
