Stanley Spencer (1891–1959) - Original Drawings on Letter From the Tate Gallery (Double-Sided)

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Sir Stanley Spencer (1891–1959)

Drawings on Letter from the Tate Gallery (Double-Sided)
c. 1953
Ink and graphite on paper
Sight: … Read more Sir Stanley Spencer (1891–1959)

Drawings on Letter from the Tate Gallery (Double-Sided)
c. 1953
Ink and graphite on paper
Sight: 9⅛ × 7⅛ in (23 × 18 cm)
Framed: 16⅜ × 14⅜ in

An extraordinary artifact of both artistic and historical significance, this original 1953 letter from Sir John Rothenstein, then-Director of the Tate Gallery, was sent to Sir Stanley Spencer to clarify the title of a painting gifted to the museum.

The front of the letter features a detailed sketch of a male figure, shown from the waist down, wearing a towel or loincloth with two visible buttons. On the reverse are two additional drawings believed to relate directly to Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta—a monumental, unfinished work Spencer labored over during the final decade of his life. These sketches include a man rowing a boat, a figure rising with two plates, and a bearded man, most likely a depiction of Christ. The imagery connects to the biblical account of Christ preaching from a boat on Lake Galilee—an enduring motif in Spencer’s later work.

This piece bears the official Stanley Spencer Studio Sale estate stamp in the lower right corner. It is presented under glass with a double archival matte in a wood frame. The letter remains in good condition with expected age-related wear, including original fold lines, and minor scratches to the frame.

About the Artist

Sir Stanley Spencer was one of Britain’s most visionary 20th-century painters, renowned for his deeply personal religious and figurative works often set in his hometown of Cookham. His art blends the sacred with the everyday, creating a distinctive and emotionally resonant body of work. Spencer's paintings are held in major museum collections, including the Tate Britain, The Fitzwilliam Museum, and The Imperial War Museum, among others. His significance in British art history is marked by both critical acclaim and a knighthood awarded in 1959, the year of his death. See less