Gilbert William Bayes (1872-1953), a painted plaster group 'The Sea...

Gilbert William Bayes (1872-1953), a painted plaster group 'The Sea Urchins' Signed in the plaster GILBERT BAYES 1932 Depicting a naked woman kneeling on a rock with a young Mer-boy caught in her net, black painted wood plinth 141 cm high Literature: L. Irvine & P. Atterbury, Gilbert Bayes: Sculptor 1872-1953, London, 1998, p.161 (figure illustrated as central element of a fountain with two smaller figures at either end) Provenance The collection of the artist; Gilbert Bayes Trust; Sotheby's London, 2 June 2010, lot 120; private collection, United Kingdom
Condition report: There are some fine hairline cracks around the base to the plaster and on the figure, and some small losses where it sits on the wood base. To the surface colour there are some areas of a stronger green which contrast to the softer, faded and variegated colour and it is possible there has been some re-colouring to the surfaces in places at some point in its history. There are some brown patches on the woman’s torso. There is a chip to the end of the mer-boys fin and this has been re-touched with colour; also a small loss to his elbow. There is a stuttered scrape to the woman’s arm and various small, random scuffs, scrapes and scratches dotted around the sculpture that show white. An occasional indentation. The plaster appears cast in sections and there are some faint joins. There is overall general wear and rubbing to the surface consistent with age and handling and there is dust on the surface and in crevices.