£6,000
Auction: 7 September 2012 at 15:00 BST
signed lower right JESSIE M KING with title lower centre, ink, watercolour and gold ink on vellum
Provenance:
Barclay Lennie Fine Art Ltd., Glasgow
Exhibited:
Glasgow, Barclay Lennie Fine Art Ltd, and London, Bourne Fine Art 'Jessie M King', 2nd November - 16th December 1989, no. 6
Note:
One of the most individual and successful 'Glasgow Style' designers in her lifetime, Jessie Marion King had a long and productive career. [1] Despite the disapproval of her parents King pursued her early artistic promise and enrolled at the Glasgow School of Art in 1892. There she was encouraged by the inspirational, liberal Headmaster, Fra Newbery, to maintain her 'child-like vision' while developing her natural gift for linear expression. [2] Predominantly working in pen and ink King produced intricately designed and delicately coloured book covers and illustrations, such as the series entitled 'The Golden Dawn'. Her talent was recognised in 1902 when she won a gold medal at the International Exhibition of Decorative Art in Turin for a book cover design, and further acclaim in 'The Studio' publication helped to spread her reputation.
King joined the staff of the Glasgow School of Art as an instructor in book illustration before her marriage to E.A. Taylor in 1908 precipitated a relocation to Salford and, later, to Paris. While in France King was to be greatly influenced by the innovative colour and design work of Leon Bakst, whose bold costumes for the Ballets Russes were creating an international sensation. [3] This influence can be seen in her later work where we see her style change from the 'linear fantasy' of 'Golden Days in the Coming Years' to use of a broader line with brightly coloured washes.
Although her earliest success was with book illustrations King also wrote over seventy children's books and designed wallpaper, posters, fabrics and costumes, as well as creating silver and jewellery for Liberty and Co.'s Cymric line. She experimented with the use of batik, after being introduced to the new technique while in Paris, and produced a series of vividly coloured landscapes in oil and watercolour after she moved to Kirkcudbright in 1914. Throughout her varied professional career King retained a distinctly individual style. This individuality can be seen by her refusal to copy designs at art school, instead insisting she be allowed to draw "out of my head". [4] Cutting an eccentric figure in her trademark black brimmed hat, cape and buckled shoes King became well-known and liked in Kirkcudbright where she lived with Taylor until her death aged 74.
[1] Jude Burkhauser, 'Jessie M. King (1875-1949)' in Glasgow Girls, p. 133.
[2] Cordelia Oliver, ''Jessie M. King', in Jessie M. King and E.A.Taylor, (1977) p. iv.
[3] Jude Burkhauser, 'Jessie M. King (1875-1949)' in Glasgow Girls, p. 135.
[4] Jessie M. King, 'Lecture on design', King Collection.