Nude - Portrait of Patricia Preece
One of the greatest English artists, Spencer had a unique vision of the world. An eccentric and highly imaginative individual, he remained an independent artist, apart from any currently fashionable groups. He attended the Slade School of Art along with Bomberg (1890-1957), Nash (1889-1946) and Wadsworth (1889-1949), among others. Many of Spencer's visionary paintings and landscapes were inspired by life in his native town of Cookham. This striking portrait of Spencer's second wife was probably painted in 1936/37, around the time of their marriage. Spencer produced a number of private, almost intrusively analytical paintings of both himself and Patricia, often using a similarly close viewpoint. Pat Preece looks out at the viewer with an unflinching gaze. The frankness of the portrayal makes this portrait as intimidating as Victor Newsome's highly stylised nude of 1980/81.
