George Bissill (1896-1973) Four Gloucestershire Cottages

Pencil sketch 28 x 38 cm Born in 1896, George Bissill was a British miner, painter and furniture designer. Raised in the mining village of Langley Mill, Derbyshire, Bissill became a miner at the age of 13, before leaving to join the war effort in 1915. Upon his return from the war after being gassed, Bissill chose to become a pavement artist outside the newly erected Bush House in Aldwych, painting from his memory and his sketch book the uncompromising underground world he had inhabited. In 1935 he moved to the countryside near Newbury, where he lived and worked as a landscape painter, art restorer and dealer until his death in 1973. This painting forms part of a larger collection, 'unseen since they were taken from George Bissil's studio in 1983' and restored by Kate Pattinson. A series of planned exhibitions were cancelled due to Covid, but two shows, one in Oxford and one in Ilkeston, did take place. Through such exhibitions, Pattinson hoped to 'restore the reputation of an artist who, through mighty endeavour, conquered the art world in the 1920s with his powerful, authentic and experimental pictures.' Bissill's paintings are also held in a number of important public collections, including the Tate Gallery, National Museum of Ireland and the Manchester Art Gallery. This pencil sketch depicts a series of four Gloucestershire cottages in Southrop and East Leach. Interestingly a more traditional cottage scene is also drawn to the reverse. Due to the handwriting on this piece not matching Bissill's own, it is likely that Bissill only contributed to this drawing, perhaps most notably in the tree to the right of the cottage. Born in 1896, George Bissill was a British miner, painter and furniture designer. Raised in the mining village of Langley Mill, Derbyshire, Bissill became a miner at the age of 13, before leaving to join the war effort in 1915. Upon his return from the war after being gassed, Bissill chose to become a pavement artist outside the newly erected Bush House in Aldwych, painting from his memory and his sketch book the uncompromising underground world he had inhabited. In 1935 he moved to the countryside near Newbury, where he lived and worked as a landscape painter, art restorer and dealer until his death in 1973. This sketch forms part of a larger collection, 'unseen since they were taken from George Bissil's studio in 1983' and restored by Kate Pattinson. A series of planned exhibitions were cancelled due to Covid, but two shows, one in Oxford and one in Ilkeston, did take place. Through such exhibitions, Pattinson hoped to 'restore the reputation of an artist who, through mighty endeavour, conquered the art world in the 1920s with his powerful, authentic and experimental pictures.' Bissill's paintings are also held in a number of important public collections, including the Tate Gallery, National Museum of Ireland and the Manchester Art Gallery. This pencil sketch depicts a series of four Gloucestershire cottages in Southrop and East Leach. Interestingly a more traditional cottage scene is also drawn to the reverse. Due to the handwriting on this piece not matching Bissill's own, it is likely that Bissill only contributed to this drawing, perhaps most notably in the tree to the right of the cottage.

George Bissill (1896-1973) The Village Way

Pencil sketch 26 x 36 cm Born in 1896, George Bissill was a British miner, painter and furniture designer. Raised in the mining village of Langley Mill, Derbyshire, Bissill became a miner at the age of 13, before leaving to join the war effort in 1915. Upon his return from the war after being gassed, Bissill chose to become a pavement artist outside the newly erected Bush House in Aldwych, painting from his memory and his sketch book the uncompromising underground world he had inhabited. In 1935 he moved to the countryside near Newbury, where he lived and worked as a landscape painter, art restorer and dealer until his death in 1973. This painting forms part of a larger collection, 'unseen since they were taken from George Bissil's studio in 1983' and restored by Kate Pattinson. A series of planned exhibitions were cancelled due to Covid, but two shows, one in Oxford and one in Ilkeston, did take place. Through such exhibitions, Pattinson hoped to 'restore the reputation of an artist who, through mighty endeavour, conquered the art world in the 1920s with his powerful, authentic and experimental pictures.' Bissill's paintings are also held in a number of important public collections, including the Tate Gallery, National Museum of Ireland and the Manchester Art Gallery. This pencil sketch depicts a view down a village street, houses line a winding road with leafy trees filling the background. Condition: generally very good.

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