Though born in Wales, John lived and worked in France for most of her career. Her reputation as an artist has grown since her death, however, she spent much of her life being overshadowed by her younger brother, the artist, Augustus John.
Gwen John (1876-1939), In Church, c. 1910
Watercolour and pencil on paper
7 ½ x 5 ¾ in (19 x 14.5 cm)
Provenance: Possibly John Quinn (1870-1924); Krushaar Galleries,New York; Mrs Lewthwaite; Christies, Nov 21 1995 (48); Private collection
We are grateful to Cecily Langdale for her kind assistance with the cataloguing of this work. She suggests the drawing may have been part of the celebrated collection of Post-Impressionist art formed by the American lawyer John Quinn. Quinn was John’s biggest collector from around 1910 until his death in 1924 and consulted the artist about his purchases in the Parisian Art World.