Modern British & Contemporary Art

Open by appointment

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Doris Zinkeisen (1897-1991) Centaur as Sagittarius, c.1950s. Oil on canvas. Framed size: H:68.5 x W: 80.5cms canvas size:H:50 x W:61cms.

Doris Zinkeisen was born in Kilereggan, Scotland and studied at the Royal Academy Schools, exhibiting her first painting at the Royal Academy in 1918.
 
She was taken up by the impresario Nigel Playfair which led to her working with the likes of Noel Coward and Laurence Olivier at the Old Vic, later creating his make up for the film Richard III. She and her sister, Anna Zinkeisen, shared a studio in London in the 1920s & 1930s. She painted society portraits, winning a Gold Medal at the Paris Salon, contributed murals on the RMS Queen Mary and produced images for railway posters. She joined the St John Ambulance Brigade during WWII and was commissioned as a war artist and visited Bergen-Belsen concentration soon after its liberation. Zinkeisen was a fine horsewoman and is known for her paintings of horses and carriages and this particular work combines her skill in horse painting with mythical subject matter. In that the centaur is drawing a bow we have assumed it is the centaur, Chiron, representing the Sagittarius Zodiac sign.

We have previously sold a painting by her sister Anna Zinkeisen painting entitled Scorpio, 1957 so this suggests that the sisters may have shared an interest in astrology and figures from the zodiac. The brewery company Whitbread commissioned Anna Zinkeisen to illustrate their 1957 calendar with signs of the Zodiac which was then used to promote the opening of their flagship Samuel Whitbread Pub in Leicester Square, London (now the site of Burger King…) where there was a Zodiac bar situated on the ground floor.  We wonder if this painting was in fact a part of the interior scheme for the bar?

Zinkeisen moved to Suffolk in 1966 and died in Badingham, Suffolk where she is buried. Her work is represented in the Imperial War Museum and the National Portrait Gallery (where there are also a number of photographs of her by Madam Yevonde). As a leading women artists of their age the work of the Zinkeisen sisters is now increasingly sought after with The Art of Doris and Anna Zinkeisen published in 2021.

The painting has been conserved and framed in a period oak hardwood frame - It is signed at the bottom right-hand corner of the painting.

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Glorious!

Contact:roweandwilliams@gmail

'But beyond the old fashioned facade is a bubbling undercurrent of modernity and progressive ideas. You can see it in Yoxford's new Rowe & Williams art gallery.' The Guardian, Emily Mathieson, 5 Aug 2017.

Rowe & Williams is situated in Yoxford, just off the A12 and on the tourist route of the A1120. We specialise in Modern British (c.1900-1970) & contemporary art.

Rowe & Williams are Matthew Rowe and Hilary Williams. The couple have each worked in the arts for over 25 years at both a national level, Matthew at Tate and Hilary at the Crafts Council, and both have led regional galleries looking after collections as well as curating contemporary exhibitions.

Matthew and Hilary have also led organisations through award winning capital projects in Sussex - Towner and Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft respectively. Hilary also still works on a freelance basis as a museum consultant and has most recently worked for The Garden Museum concerning the proposed development of Benton End in Suffolk - the home and garden of Cedric Morris & Arthur Lett-Haines and The East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing.

We hope you find our gallery accessible & friendly and shows beautiful and interesting work in a series of curated displays that change throughout the year. We display work carefully with information and context of the work and artist.

All work is sold framed and, if needed, conserved. Ready to enjoy in your home, office, public spaces or to give as a gift. We can even wrap it if it is a present too! We can also arrange national transport on your behalf and we deliver regionally.

If you see anything on our website that you would like further information on please do email us:- roweandwilliams@gmail.com

Hilary & Matthew 

The Team: Matthew Rowe, Hilary Williams & Stanley Dog (Head of Security)