William John Leech RHA ROI (1881 - 1968) Sewing Oil on Canvas, 76.2 x 36.5cm (30 x 14½”) Signed, inscribed verso. Candy Cottage, West Clandon, Surrey address label verso Provenance: The...

William John Leech RHA ROI (1881 - 1968) Sewing Oil on Canvas, 76.2 x 36.5cm (30 x 14½”) Signed, inscribed verso. Candy Cottage, West Clandon, Surrey address label verso Provenance: The Collection of George and Maura McClelland and on loan from them to IMMA 1999 - 2004 Exhibited: RHA 1946, Catalogue No.49 (exhibition label verso) Selected works from the McClelland Collection, IMMA September 2000/ January 2001 Literature: The Hunter Gatherer, IMMA 2005, full page illustratio, page 36 “An Irish Artist W.J. Leech RHA”, Alan Denson 1968, illustrated, full page illustration page 15 In the 1930’s Leech embarked on a series of pictures of various themes; still lifes, self-portraits, railways and his lifelong friend and partner May Botterell whom he married in 1953. By the ‘30s Leech and May’s life had become like any other settled couple that were devoted to each other. Leech painted daily at his rented No.4 Steele Studio, and May routinely accompanied him and occupied her days with simple chores like cooking, cleaning or reading quietly listening to the radio. These private pictures of May convey the intimacy of their life together and none express commotion, disturbance or violence. Titles such as Mending, Sewing or Darning (NGI) varied only slightly in style with the addition of a window and the glimpse of the garden outside. The influence of the Post Impressionists, Bonnard and Degas is evident in this typical Leech composition of May sewing. Leech's picture is tranquil in mood as May is viewed from behind from an elevated angle, her right hand captured holding a sewing needle, with a spool of thread beside her. This technique and his bold use of colour saves even a conventional subject like this from banality. The light changes in these genre paintings from the warm sunshine of midday to cooler tones of blue and green of evening light. Leech's other great influence during this time, and which is also evident in this subject-matter were the 'Bloomsbury' painters, Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and Roger Fry. Their focus was more with private than public concerns, and influenced Leech to paint purely for 'art's sake'. May was also highly influenced by the 'Bloomsbury' group and wished to be part of its aims which was essentially to ignore social, political and economic realities. Their views on marriage and acceptance of the freedom to have lovers revolutionized conventional views on marriage. In the spring of 1965 May's health deteriorated, and Leech attended her with devotion and personal care until she became bedridden and in the end died peacefully of bronchial pneumonia on 10th July 1965, aged eighty-three years. Our thanks to Dr. Denise Ferran whose research and writings formed the basis of this note.

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