Betty and Paul

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 a Baby (1929) .

There are two 'Betty and Paul' drawings - this 1928 version and the 'Sunday Best' version. A 'Betty and Paul' was listed in the catalogue of Richard's first solo show at the Goupil gallery in 1929. We are not certain which one the listing refers to. We are not sure which one is referred to in the comment above either. For now we have added this one to the 1929 exhibition image collection. As for the title, Richard often just gave random names to his made-up figures. They are almost certainly imaginary people.