Signed l.l..: Spurrier

Oil on canvas, 24 by 20 ins (61 by 51 cm)

One of the most decorative British artists of his period, Spurrier juggled a successful career as both painter and illustrator and he exhibited some one hundred works at the Royal Academy between 1906 and 1961. He had a particular mastery in the graphic style of black and white illustration of the inter-war years and even wrote a book on the subject Black and White -A Manual of Illustration (1944). He was a prolific contributor to many leading publications from the date including The Graphic, Illustrated London News and Radio Times. In his work as a painter, as seen in this touching portrait of a young girl, he frequently displays a similarly graphic and decorative approach towards his work in oil.