William Lee Hankey Near The Cathedral, Granada (1914) Oil on canvas, 63.5 x 76cm (25 x 30'') Signed Provenance: Paionel Gallery, London Exhibited: F.G Lee- Hankey is most noted as painter and...

William Lee Hankey Near The Cathedral, Granada (1914) Oil on canvas, 63.5 x 76cm (25 x 30'') Signed Provenance: Paionel Gallery, London Exhibited: F.G Lee- Hankey is most noted as painter and etcher of French Harbour scenes and studies of English country life. He first studied a Chester School of art under Walter Shroeder, then at RCA under John Sparkes and concluded his education in Paris. Although Lee-Hankey lived for the most part in London, keeping a studio in Chelsea, he often spent long periods traveling throughout Europe and from 1904 onwards kept a house in Etaples in France. Here he stayed for much of the year and produced his main body of work. He returned to England upon the outbreak of the First World War to serve with the Artists' Rifles. He exhibited widely, at all the main London galleries including the Leicester, Fine Art Society and Lefevre Galleries; also at the Royal Academy, Goupil Gallery and ROI. He was elected RBA and RMS in 1896, RI in 1898, ROI in 1909, RE in 1911 sketching club between 1902-04 and a member of the Society of 25 Artists and in the late 1940's chairman of the Empire Arts Council. His work is represented in many collections England and abroad. The British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum hold examples of his work. His work was shown internationally, winning a gold medal at the Barcelona International Exhibition and Bronze in Chicago. ''Lee-Hankey was one of the early 20th century group of British artists, rather loosely described as English Impressionists. Like their progenitors they too broke away from tired academicism, seeking inspiration in the open air and painting scenes of everyday life what Eugene Boudin described as ''La vie quatidienne''. Apart from Sickert and a few others many of them have not always received the critical attention they deserve, and this picture is surely an example of work that goes far beyond the mere representation of a picturesque scene, expressed with lively colour and accomplished draftsmanship. Though modest in concept and style it is something of a masterpiece, worthy of inclusion in any good collection of modern British Art, along side the Nash's Nevinsons, Pipers, et al. Cézanne spoke of ''doing Passion, again after nature''. Lee-Hankey follows the precept by his journal precision and organization with the compositional stresses and strains of classicism, but also with a delicate touch of English lyricism. Note the subtle patterns of colour and shape, that delectable grey shadows, the careful placing of figures and horse, creating almost effortlessly, it would seem a tangible sense of space, just as Eugene Boudin could do. Then their s the unlaboured surface texture, emphasizing the picture plain and giving sensual pleasure. But above all is the light, not of the Turneresque kind, rather more of the Venetian 'vedute' Artists, with sunlight dancing across the surface is an almost musical sequence, expressing the artist love of his craft as well as the scene before him''. Yet for all that there is s sense of profound stillness, a dream-like quality that gives the work an extra dimension. Who could not respond endlessly to its charm. S P June 2002

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