British Impressionist Painting Night At The Opera

Frank Duffield (British, 1908-1982) Signed original watercolour painting on board, unframed size: 10.5 x 14.5 inches condition: overall very good, minor wear to the edges as is normal for an unframed work, minor staining from age/ light to the surface provenance: from a large private collection of this artists work in the UK The artist: Born in Warwick in 1901, Duffield came to Bristol at the age of 23 as an artist at the studio of Mardon Son and Hall. He worked as an illustrator producing designs for cigarette cards, remaining with the company for 37 years until his retirement. He was elected an Artist Member of the Bristol Savages in 1946. He was an extremely keen and regular attender not only in the studio but at all other Savage functions. He was noted for his friendly demeanour and seldom seen without a pipe in his mouth. He was a good pianist and would play popular tunes after the Wednesday evenings’ entertainment for members to join in singing and always with his pipe in his mouth. In 1965 he was commissioned by the Gloucester Regiment to paint a portrait of Brigadier Manley Angell James, VC, DSO, MBE, MC, a Bristol man who won his VC during the first World War. The painting is now in the Imperial War Museum. Frank was made a Life Member in 1973 and died in 1982. Frank Duffiled was a member of the artist group, known as “The Bristol Savages”: Founded in 1894 by Ernest Ehlers, he invited his fellow Bristol based artists to spend a friendly evening in his studio to work and talk. At first, meetings were held in their private studios, then as their numbers grew, in rented premises. By 1904 this led to the official founding of the Bristol Savages and the holding ever since, of similar weekly meetings between October and May each year. In 1905 the first exhibition of paintings was held at the premises of George Nichols & Co., an auctioneer in Broad Street, Bristol. During the next 14 years exhibitions were held annually in Bristol and their first permanent home was Brandon Cottage which was made available to them through the good offices of fellow member James Fuller Eberle. When the Red Lodge, Park Row came on the market in 1919, it was purchased to create headquarters for the Tribe as the collective membership is known. Annual exhibitions have continued since that date, apart from a break during World War II. Past members include etcher Stanley Anderson, painter William Titcomb and sculptor Frank Dobson.