Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's… Read more

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE BENN AND CONSTANCE LEVYBenn Levy (1900-1973), playwright and politician, was a keen collector of contemporary art in his twenties. In 1932, he met Constance Cummings (1910-2005) in Hollywood, then already a movie star, and the couple moved to England and married in 1933. In 1936, they commissioned Walter Gropius and Maxwell Fry to build their home at 66 Old Church Street, Chelsea, now a Grade II listed building, which they decorated with an eclectic mixture of modern art and period furniture. During the war, Levy served in the Navy and Cummings worked with the Entertainments National Service Association, providing entertainment shows for the troops. Following the war, Levy became a Labour MP in the Attlee government from 1945-1950, while continuing to write plays for the West End until the late 1960s. Constance Cummings continued to star both on stage and screen until her late eighties, including alongside Rex Harrison in David Lean's Blithe Spirit (1945).The couple continued to collect paintings from young contemporary artists. They also had a keen interest in sculpture, and bought or commissioned sculptures by Jacob Epstein, Elisabeth Frink, Robert Clatworthy and Lynn Chadwick. Their collection of artwork by Richard Hamilton stemmed from a chance meeting in Spain with the artist and his wife Terry O'Reilly where both were on holiday with their families. They shared a political outlook and a commitment to nuclear disarmament, being prominent members of the CND. This friendship continued throughout their lives and Benn and Constance collected works by Hamilton in the 1950s and 1960s. This included Study for $he, 1958 (please see lot 1 in the Modern British Art Evening Sale, 22 November), as well as a number of earlier works by the artist (please see lots 221-223). After Benn Levy’s death in 1973, Constance Cummings progressively spent more time at their house and farm in Oxfordshire, where she developed a keen interest in her herd of pedigree Friesian cattle, while continuing to work in films and the theatre.

Richard Hamilton (1922-2011)

Somersault

Details

Richard Hamilton (1922-2011)
Somersault
signed and dated 'R Hamilton 52' (lower right) and signed again, inscribed and dated again 'Somersault. R Hamilton 52' (on the mount)
ink, watercolour and gouache
15 3/8 x 11¼ in. (39 x 28.5 cm.)

Provenance

Acquired directly from the artist by Benn and Constance Levy, and by descent.

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.

Brought to you by

Pippa Jacomb

pjacomb@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2293

More from Modern British & Irish Art Day Sale

View All