AN ENGLISH CUBIST

WILLIAM ROBERTS:

News

Illustrations © The Estate of John David Roberts.

The News (aka Public Library), 1941

[Last revised 20 March 2025]

William Roberts at auction

In Christie's sale of modern British and Irish art on 20 March, WR's watercolour The Recital c.1944–5 sold for £13,860:

The Recital, c.1944–5

In the Dreweatts sale of modern and contemporay art on 12 March, WR's 1977 drawing Tree Cutters sold for £1,837:

Tree Cutters, 1977

In the Chiswick Auctions sale of modern British and Irish art on 26 November, WR's 1927–8 study for Carpet Beaters sold for £4,032:

Carpet Beaters – study, 1927–8

In the Bonhams sale of modern British art on 20 November, WR's watercolour The Tryst 1959 sold for £12,800:

The Tryst, 1959

In Lyon & Turnbulls's 'Modern Made' auction on 31 October and 1 November, a study for A Windy Day c.1941 sold for £3,024 and Ennui 1972 was unsold (estimate £30,000–£50,000):

A Windy Day, c.1941

Ennui, 1972

In Dreweatts' sale of modern and contemporary art on 23 October a life drawing made as part of WR's teaching at the Central School of Arts and Crafts was unsold (estimate £2,000–£3,000):

Female Life Study, Standing

In Christie's sale of modern British and Irish art on 17 October the watercolour The Underground c.1970 sold for £32,760 and The Recital c.1944–5 was unsold (estimate £18,00–£25,000):

The Recital, c.1944–5

The Underground, c.1970

In the Bonhams Knightsbridge sale of modern British and Irish art on 17 July, The Camels, a 1953 pencil study for the London Transport poster Brush Up Your Jungle was unsold (estimate £2,500–£3,000):

The Camels, 1953

In the Bonhams sale of Modern British and Irish Art on 19 June, the pencil study for Trooping the Colour 1958–9 was unsold (estimate £20,000–£30,000):

Trooping the Colour – study, 1958–9

In Sotheby's 'Made in Britain' auction on 7 June, Stretching Man c.1920s sold for £5,040, Bed-time Story 1943 sold for £33,600, The Flower Arrangement 1944 sold for £8,400 and In the Straight c.1949 sold for £36,000. The Tryst 1959 (estimate £15,000–£25,000) was unsold.

Stretching Man, c.1920s?

Bed-time Story, 1943

The Flower Arrangement, 1944

In the Straight, c.1949

The Tryst, 1959

In the 20 January sale of antiques and collectables at Cooper Barrington LLP, Wrexham, the 1940 red-chalk drawing Portrait of Miss Joan O'Connell sold for £122):

Portrait of Miss Joan O'Connell, 1940

In the pre-holiday and Christmas sale of Wiederseim Associates, Inc., Phoenixville, PA, on 20 December, Roberts's 1944–5 watercolour The Tip sold for $1,875:

The Tip, 1944–5

New exhibitions featuring William Roberts

The following works by Roberts are on show in public galleries in the UK:

• The Gas Chamber 1918 is on show at the Imperial War Museum, London.
• The Diners 1919 is on show as part of the 'Media Networks: Modern Times' display at Tate Modern (level 4).
• The Cinema 1920 is on show in the 'Walk through British Art' display at Tate Britain.

The Cinema, 1920

• The Happy Family 1924 is on show at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth.
• Dressmakers c.1931 is on show at the Victoria Art Gallery, Bath.
• Christ Driving the Money Changers from the Temple 1925 is believed to be on display at the Ferens Art Gallery, Hull.
• John Maynard Keynes and Lydia Lopokova 1932 and Helen (aka Helen Brook) c.1934 are on display at the National Portrait Gallery.
• The Family 1934 is believed to be on display at Leeds Art Gallery.
• Fishermen 1968 is show at the Gibberd Gallery, Harlow.

The information above is believed to be accurate, but it would probably be worth checking with the galleries before making a special trip to any of them. Please click here for a list of other works by Roberts in public collections, which can usually be viewed by appointment.

Virtual exhibitions

The old Gallery page on this website has been replaced by a new page containing links to a selection of virtual exhibitions of works by Roberts on specific themes: Some Early and Cubist Work: 1913–16, The Art World, Music and Dance, Family Life, Telling Stories (narrative pictures), Sport and Recreation, The Life on the Streets, Portraits, and An Artist and His Family.