Henry George Gawthorn

Henry George Gandy DSO OBE (1879-1950) THE FORBIDDEN CITY, PEKING (BEIJING), FROM COAL HILL signed lower right; with title and inscription on reverse watercolour over pencil 24.13 by 41.275cm., 9.5 by 16.25in. Family of the artist Inscribed by artist on reverse: "Lady Norah Jellicoe, 7 Cadogan Square, SW1 & Phillips Oppenheim".Henry George Gandy was born in 1879, in Northumberland, England, the son of a British Army officer. After being educated locally he followed the career path of his father and received a commission in the Royal Engineers in 1899 after which he saw service in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War. His interest in art flourished during his army career which allowed him to visit many parts of the world and paint scenes still considered exotic to most Europeans at this time. In between the Boer and First World Wars Gandy served in Somaliland, Egypt and the Sudan where he became well known for his sketches and caricatures.The following paintings were mostly completed between 1924 and 1928 during which time Gandy was serving as a Lieutenant Colonel with the Royal Engineers in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The popularity and quality of his artwork was demonstrated by the fact that his scenes of Hong Kong, China and Singapore were reproduced in books and also on postcards by the famous publishers Raphael Tuck. His work serves as a record of cultures and ways of life which have now changed almost beyond recognition in many of the countries that he visited. H. G. Gandy retired from the army in 1932 after an illustrious career, during which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, Order of the British Empire, and Turkish Order of the Mejidie. He died at Hampshire, England in 1950 at the age of 70.

HENRY GEORGE GAWTHORN (1879-1941) THE FORTH BRIDGE. 1928. 39 1/2x49 3/4 inches. David Allen & Sons, London. Condition B+: restoration along vertical and horizontal folds; restoration in margins and corners. An exceptional nocturnal scene in which the design and beauty of the bridge rise into the night sky. The peaceful blue of the evening is punctuated by the orange glow of the train's lights, which also illuminate the underside of the arch it is passing under. "The Forth Bridge crosses the estuary of the River Forth in Scotland to connect the East Coast route between London and Aberdeen. It was designed by Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker and opened by the Prince of Wales in 1890" (Railway p. 137). Begun in 1883, the bridge was regarded as the eighth wonder of the world upon its completion, made of 54,000 tons of steel and 6.5 million rivets. Railway p. 136, Le Train p. 24. Estimate $6,000-9,000