Sir Matthew Smith CBE, British 1879-1959 - Still life with pears; pastel on squared paper, initialled lower right 'MS', 29.5 x 20.8 cm (unframed) (ARR) Note: with thanks to John Gledhill for his assistance in the cataloguing of this work Smith’s...

Sir Matthew Smith CBE, British 1879-1959 - Still life with pears; pastel on squared paper, initialled lower right 'MS', 29.5 x 20.8 cm (unframed) (ARR) Note: with thanks to John Gledhill for his assistance in the cataloguing of this work Smith’s first solo exhibition was held in 1926, and was followed by shows at a number of prestigious galleries, including at the Mayor Gallery, the Lefevre Gallery, and with the London Group. His work was also shown at the Venice Biennales of 1938 and 1950, and has been the subject of numerous exhibitions since his death in 1959, with a major retrospective held at the Barbican in 1983. Smith also spent much time in France, where he studied under Henri Matisse, an experience which left an indelible impact on his work. The influence of Matisse and the Fauvists is evident in the fluid and liberal application of vibrant colours in so many of Smith’s paintings. His works are held in a number of prominent collections across the UK, including those of the Jerwood Collection, Manchester Art Gallery, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and the Courtauld Gallery in London.
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