Featured Norman Alexander help :)

Hi all,

I wanted to show you all this painting that I bought the other day.




It’s of the new haven coast in Sussex, England. Anyone have any clue with regard to the rough date?

Does anyone know any more info on the artist, Norman Alexander? I see him on mutual art and findartinfo but there’s no biographies or anything that I can see. Do you think he was more of a hobby painter?

Thanks in advance

 

Wortpoint
$125 in 2012

The seller doesn't even try to describe it

Yours is wonderful - hope you bought it from someone who thought it was junk!

 

Isn't Bond Street fancy pantsy...?

 

Another from 2014, same price, possibly from same seller...

Esq. Means attorney, right?

 

On Mutual art

Norman Alexander is a Postwar & Contemporary artist who was born in 1915. Norman Alexander's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $300 USD to $392 USD, depending on the size and medium of the artwork. Since 2013 the record price for this artist at auction is $392 USD for Rocky Road, sold at Mallams, Oxford Saleroom in 2013.

No, I don't believe he was a hobbyist

 

Esquire is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, Esquire historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank

 

I've no evidence that the following articles are your guy specifically, but the timing (1958-1959) is right (I think) and given some of the textured paintings others have found, I think maybe at least one of the articles is about your guy.

Researching an "Aloysius Snuffleupagus" is always quicker than your "Norman Alexanders," but there is hope (and addresses always help... at least in the USA, we'll see about the UK).

(All from London papers)

(Don't despair of the "charity sale" article down below -- it's not your average charity sale.

 

He also went by Buchanan... (it appears)

Bridge over a Motorway
Norman Alexander Buchanan (1910–2004)
New College, University of Oxford

6 results on artuk

 

What leads you to believe this is the same artist?

 

I'm not positive it is, but some of his paintings seem same style and general location.

The difference between this:


And this:


And this:


All attributed to Norman Alexander.

Then these :


All by the second name... It's a very weird assortment of styles!

I could be totally wrong - I was thinking there may have been some confusion on birthdates. And I can't say why he might choose to add or subtract a surname.

 

Buchanan is a different artist...

Wow thanks for the help guys, fantastic research as always!!

 

Maybe that first piece on artuk is a wildcard? Either way, @samuelcaulfield1

How did you come by this nice piece?

 

I got it from a charity shop in London

 

The piece at LiveAuctioneers has a different address which led to the following (ca 1954):

 

The frame looks right to me for the '50s.

 

Wow that’s cool. Many of these scenes near where I live in London..

 

Now if I could only get my hands on some of these other works..

You’d think he would be at auction more than a handful of times over the past few decades..

 

@Jivvy

Rocks!

 

The modern one just threw me, so I checked the signature

 

He's at the Brompton Road address in the 1990s, according to an on-line art directory. Very possible he moved over course of lifetime.

Debora