Alayan: a spy

Details

Eric Kennington, R.A. (1888-1960)
Alayan: a spy
coloured chalks on two sheets, joined
35 x 28 in. (89 x 71 cm.)
Executed in 1921.

Provenance

Purchased by W.H. Haslam at the 1927 exhibition.
Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, London, 24 November 1976, lot 225.
Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, London, 19 November 1980, lot 260.
Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, London, 8 November 1989, lot 139.
with Fine Art Society, London, where purchased by the present owner.

Literature

T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, 1935, illustrated opposite p. 260.

Exhibited

London, Leicester Galleries, Illustrating "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" by Col. T.E. Lawrence, February 1927, no. 55.
London, National Portrait Gallery, Lawrence of Arabia, December 1988 - March 1989, no. 4B13.

Special Notice

Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's Resale Right Regulations 2006 apply to this lot, the buyer agrees to pay us an amount equal to the resale royalty provided for in those Regulations, and we undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent. These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Brought to you by

Louise Simpson

lsimpson@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2681

Lot Essay

Alayan was linked to Lawrence's bodyguard but not formally part of it; eavesdropping incognito was his speciality. He made a considerable amount of money from the Arab Revolt and then lost it all by the time he sat for Kennington in Amman in May 1921. The clothes that he wears in the present work were borrowed especially for this portrait.

We are very grateful to Dr Jonathan Black for his assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.

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