The Family

Although the label on the back of this drawings seems to suggest it was work no. 15 in Richard's first solo show (at the Goupil Gallery, London), it is listed as no. 20 in the catalogue.

1929: "Yesterday afternoon Mr Stocks came in with his wife and Dr Jane Walker: the Harley Street specialist. They sat down while I ranged works of art in profusion around them. They seemed to be much impressed. A great argument ensued over the fact that Jane felt that the fat man playing the viol da gamba in the family group drawing, was not gripping the instrument with his knees and that it should have a spike! Mr Stocks argued about it, and I pointed out that such instruments did not have spikes, which Stocks said was purism. However, they both …

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1929: "Yesterday afternoon Mr Stocks came in with his wife and Dr Jane Walker: the Harley Street specialist. They sat down while I ranged works of art in profusion around them. They seemed to be much impressed. A great argument ensued over the fact that Jane felt that the fat man playing the viol da gamba in the family group drawing, was not gripping the instrument with his knees and that it should have a spike! Mr Stocks argued about it, and I pointed out that such instruments did not have spikes, which Stocks said was purism. However, they both want to buy the drawing from the Show, as many others do. They said they would have a race for it. Stocks also wants ‘Betty and Paul’ and the Girl with the Baby.

Also not to be confused with the three works titled A Family: A Family (1975), A Family aka Warm Day (1975) or A Family (1989).