The William Roberts Society

William Roberts:

The Crucifixion

Illustration © The Estate of John David Roberts. Reproduced with the permission of the William Roberts Society. Catalogue information based on the catalogue raisonné by David Cleall. For this and full details of the exhibitions cited, see the links below.

The Crucifixion (aka The Scarlet Robe ), c. 1922
(dated by the Methodist Education Committee as early 1920s; dated in the Tate Gallery 1965 catalogue as 1919)
Oil on canvas, 76.2 cm x 91.4 cm

('William Roberts recalls that he painted this shortly after the end of his service as a war artist, at a time when he had some idea of entering the Prix de Rome (for which two paintings were required). However he never got round to the second and so the idea fell through. A little later, Rudolph Stulik . . . came to his studio and told him he thought he had found a buyer for it. Roberts did not discover until afterwards that it was Augustus John' – Tate Gallery 1965 catalogue, p. 10. In 1923 the painting was exhibited at the Chenil Gallery under the title of The Scarlet Robe and was priced at £55 – the second most expensive painting in the exhibition. Augustus John would have seen it at this exhibition before buying it.)
PROVENANCE: Augustus John ('The painting remained in the collection of Augustus John from around 1923 until it was sold by his estate in 1963' – Methodist Education Committee catalogue, p. 28) > Christie's 26 Apr. 1963 > Mayor Gallery > Methodist Education Committee
EXHIBITION HISTORY: Chenil Gallery 1923, Tate Gallery 1965, Methodist Education Committee 1963 (regular touring)