Trial and tribulation… But is it art?

WHEN I came across this particular painting at an auction in Berkshire, I suffered a mixture of emotions…

Surprise – that it was on sale at all at a general auction,

Delight – at the detail and quality of the painting and

Confusion – as to whether or not to purchase it because of its macabre nature.

However, my inner voice told me that this was a piece of our national history and, as dark as the subject matter was, I would never come across anything like this again. So, I bought it.

The notorious Yorkshire Ripper trial in 1981 was covered daily by every newspaper in the land, there were nightly news bulletins about the day’s events at the court.

Each of these articles and bulletins included sketches done by the court artist, Michael Frith.

Frith sat through all the testimony from defence and prosecution witnesses alike and compiled many sketches for the newspapers and TV stations but a limited number of watercolour paintings of the trial in progress.

This is one of those original watercolour paintings.

Michael Frith is a remarkably good artist and is now very wellknown, particularly for his design work and book illustrations. He has painted many a portrait including one of Robert Maxwell which is hung in The National Portrait Gallery. Other popular subjects include Michael Caine, David Bowie, Billy Connelly, etc.

He is also a renowned marine artist.

The detail in this painting is stunning with Peter Sutcliffe being instantly recognisable as is his wife at the time, Sonia Sutcliffe in the bottom right hand corner. This painting in particular has proved to me that good art can come in all sorts of guises.

Find this and many other quality, original works of art at my gallery AntiqArt at Holme Grange Craft Village or online at www.antiqart.co.uk.