‡William Roberts RA (1895-1980) The Rape of the Sabines Signed Pencil and watercolour

‡William Roberts RA (1895-1980)

The Rape of the Sabines

Signed

Pencil and watercolour, squared for transfer

50 x 34cm

Provenance:

Ernest Cooper Esq

Sotheby's, London, 22nd November 1972, lot 90A

Christie's London 5th March 1999 lot 62, purchased by the present owner

Exhibited:

Southampton Art Gallery

Worthing Art Gallery Paintings and drawings by William Roberts, 1972 no. 55

The Arts council of Great Britain William Roberts catalogue no. 198

This study was originally in the collection of Ernest Cooper (who also owned the finished oil), a friend and loyal patron of Roberts and it sold in the same sale as the original in 1972. They were part of a series of large canvases painted around this time, many of which depicted Bible stories and classical Mythology interpreted in a modern style which shows influence from artists such as Sir Stanley Spencer RA

The Rape of the Sabine women was a Roman mythological tale where Romulus, in an effort to populate his new city of Rome, set out to find wives for his men. Women were abducted from surrounding communities and the word 'rape' in this context technically relates more closely to the word 'abduction'.