Ruth Millington
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Meet Ruth Millington. Ruth Millington is an art historian, critic and author, specialising in modern and contemporary art. She is most interested in telling the stories of overlooked muses and artists, including women, working-class, outsider and self-taught painters. She is an art expert on radio and TV, including BBC Breakfast, Woman's Hour, ITV News, BBC WM Radio, Radio 4's Today programme and Sky Arts. Ruth has had writing featured across national newspapers, including the Telegraph, the i, The Sunday Times, Daily Mail and Express. Her first book, ‘Muse’, uncovers the unsung heroes behind many of art history’s masterpieces and will be published by Vintage in 2022.

Here, Ruth #takes5 to pick her top five lots from the upcoming Modern & Contemporary British Art auction at Roseberys, that will take place on Wednesday 13th October.

 

1. Dame Laura Knight 

 

Dame Laura Knight

 

Lot 9: Dame Laura Knight RA RWS, British 1877-1970 - St Ives Harbour, 1912; watercolour on paper, signed and dated lower right 'Laura Knight 1912', 48 x 33 cm (unframed) (ARR)  Provenance: with James Bourlet & Sons, London, no.1801 (according to the label on the frame backboard); private collection until 1991; thence by descent, with another watercolour on paper by the same artist from the same collection, ‘Mousehole, 1923’, that was sold by Roseberys, London, 15th March 2011, lot 913 
Estimate:  £3,000- £5,000 

2. Eileen Agar 


Eileen Agar

 

Lot 58: Eileen Agar RA, British 1899-1991 - Abstract Composition; gouache and collage on paper, signed lower right 'Agar', 14.7 x 20 cm (ARR) Provenance: purchased directly from the Estate of the Artist
Estimate:  £1,200- £1,800

3. Grayson Perry 

Grayson Perry

Lot 95: Grayson Perry CBE RA, British b.1960 - Claire at the Tate Gallery, 1995; silver halide print, printed by the artist, numbered '1/12', 71 x 47.5 cm (ARR) Note: this edition was never fully published Provenance: Laurent Delaye Gallery, London Literature: 'La otra Britannia', Fundación Marcelino Botín, Santander, 2001
Estimate: £2,000- £3,000

 

4. Fred Yates 

Fred Yates

 


Lot 156: Fred Yates, British 1922-2008 - Families By a Bridge; oil on board, signed lower left 'Fred Yates', 46 x 48 cm (ARR) Note: this work is from a collection of works by Fred Yates. The original owner's Siamese cat is depicted in every work.
Estimate:  £1,500- £2,000

 

5. Dora Holzhandler 

Dora Holzhandler

 

Lot 176: Dora Holzhandler, British 1928-2015 - Lovers in Spring, 1988; oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right 'Dora Holzhandler 88', 63 x 53.5 cm (ARR) Provenance: private collection, purchased c.1989; thence by descent
Estimate: £1,500- £2,000

 

 

You can view the fully illustrated catalogue for the Modern & Contemporary British & Irish Art auction here:  CATALOGUE


You can find out more about Ruth Millington via her website : ruthmillington.co.uk

Instagram: Millington_ruth 

Twitter: @ruth_millington

And her book here