Leonard Gittleson (British, 20th century) A Group of Modern works (qtty)

Leonard Gittleson (British, 20th century) A Group of Modern works, including figurative, abstracts and some humorisitc works, pencil and ink sketches, watercolours, oil, all unframed, some loose and some in a folder (qtty)

Note: from the Artist's estate. Leonard Gittleson was Albert Abram Gittleson's son (see our previous catalogues with a collection of the Artist's works - Albert Abram Gittleson, act.1911-1944). Having inherited his father's artistic talent, Leonard gravitated from the early age of four towards animal studies. His first steps as an artist were recorded in the press, with a 1939 article in the Scottish Daily Express titled 'Following in father's footsteps' showing a photograph of the then 12 year old boy working at an easel with his father mentoring him. Further press releases in 1943 - Leonard was aged 16 - testify that his talent was noted by the Royal Scottish Academy, as his first submissions were accepted for an exhibition in Edinburgh. The two paintings exhibited were watercolours titled 'Fife Coast' and 'On the Clyde'. They had been worked from sketches made on holiday the previous year, and completed within a fortnight after the boy had sat for his Higher leaving certificate. His father, whose own work had already been exhibited at the RSA for a number of years, was not even aware of his son's artwork submission until he received a letter of acceptance for them. That year, father and son therefore found their works exhibited alongside each other. Leonard also received the 'Silver Medal' in a drawing competition held by the Corporation of the city of Glasgow Art Gallery and Museums that same year.

Although these early known works seem to have been in the same vein as his father's art, who prolifically painted Scottish coastal towns in watercolours, Leonard's passion seemed to have lied with the studies of animals. It is then unsurprisingly that he decided to qualify as a veterinary. He never however abandoned his passion for art and was part of the Medical Art Society; he exhibited with them on a number of occasions. As demonstrated in the present collection, he produced abundant sketches and works of animals, particularly dogs.

Leonard was also a keen writer and produced a number of short stories that were however never published.

He practiced as a veterinary in the Whitchurch area and was involved in the care of animals at Chester Zoo that he liked to sketch. He lived in Shrewsbury and also produced works representing his house, garden and some local landscapes/scenes.