Helen Bradley MBE, British 1900–1979 - Look at our Willie's new clothes, 1971; oil on canvas board, 32 x 39.3 cm (ARR) Provenance: Mercury Gallery, London (according to the label on the reverse); Mr and Mrs Stephen King, purchased from the above in...

Helen Bradley MBE, British 1900–1979 - Look at our Willie's new clothes, 1971; oil on canvas board, 32 x 39.3 cm (ARR) Provenance: The Geoffrey and Fay Elliot collection. Mercury Gallery, London (according to the label on the reverse); Mr and Mrs Stephen King, purchased from the above in 1971 (according to the label on the reverse); Christie's, London, Modern British Art, 20th June 1996, lot 123 (label on the reverse); private collection; thence by descent Note: The work is inscribed on the reverse, ' "Look at our Willie's new clothes" cried that dreadful Annie Murgatroyd when we met on our afternoon walk through the cemetery. Mrs Murgatroyd and Annie were also in new clothes, and since their Uncle had come to live with them, their Mother no longer went out cleaning. When George and I caught up with Mother, Grandma, Miss Carter (who wore pink) and the Aunts, they were all busy talking about Willie's Uncle, and although they talked and talked about him, for days they could not remember an Uncle of the name of Edward in the family. Still he took them all to Blackpool, for Lee's Wares and the year was 1907 . Helen Layfield Bradley 1971.' In the 1960s, Bradley met L.S. Lowry, who inspired her to pursue her dream of painting professionally, even though the artist was in her 60s at the time. Bradley quickly found international success, painting her childhood memories in a naïve style, appearing on television and illustrating a series of novels in the 1970s, starting with 'And Miss Carter Wore Pink: Scenes from an Edwardian Childhood,' which became bestsellers around the world.
Held in a wooden frame, with painted slip, with minor scuff marks. Painted surface and canvas in very good, original condition.