Herbert James Gunn
 

The story of the secret meeting of the artist and his children did not help sell the picture

At the Bonhams auction failed to sell the painting by British artist Sir Herbert James Gunn (Herbert James Gunn), on which he sealed his children a secret from his ex-wife. Work is estimated at 40-60 thousand pounds.
Writes ArtDaily, in 1927, Gann divorced his wife, Gwen, who ran away from him to Sir Arthur Whinney (Arthur Whinney), banker-millionaire posing artist. The court forbade Hanna see three daughters, they changed their name to Winnie. The children felt that their father left, he also made no mention of girls in conversations with children from his second marriage.

Nevertheless, once in 1929, making sketches of animals in London Zoo, Gunn saw his daughters - Paulina, Diana and Elizabeth - who came there with a nanny. She agreed to bring children to the zoo again, that his father could draw them. Gunn portrayed a babysitter close to playing girls. The artist kept the painting with him until his death.

http://www.lenta.ru/news/2010/06/30/gunn/

I wonder why not sell?

Especially because such estimeyt acquitted sales of works of this artist at auction held earlier. Here are the most expensive work of the artist's version of artprice sold in 2003, with almost the same estimate:

Sales date 12/3/2003
Hammer price GBP 55,000
EUR 78,777 - USD 95,128 - GBP 55,000
Estimate GBP 50,000 - 70,000
Medium Oil /canvas
Location London (GB)
Size 61x45.5 cm - (24x17 7 /8 in)
Auction house Sotheby's
Lot number 16

Some other works of Herbert James Gunn: