OAKLAND, CALIF. – Portraiture of racy historical sitters are often a favorite among collectors. Such was the case at Clars Auction Gallery on February 21, when “The Lady in Black and Green (Mrs Dudley Ward)” by Sir John Lavery (Irish, 1856-1941) crossed the block in the firm’s Fine Art & Antique Auction. The sitter was an English socialite best known for being the married mistress of the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VIII) from 1918 to 1929. Painted in 1920 at the peak of her romance with the future king, this oil on canvas stirred up some old gossip. With numerous international telephone bidders vying for the portrait, it ultimately commanded a total of $135,300.

Rick Unruh, CEO and director of the Fine Art department at Clars said, “We were very pleased with the outcome of Lavery’s painting, ‘The Lady in Green and Black (Mrs. Dudley Ward).’ I believe that the sitter, being a fairly reknowned personality in early Twentieth Century British society, and her connection to King Edward VIII, made this painting quite special. Also, having 14 international telephone bidders on this lot did help immensely, too.”

The painting came to Clars from a San Francisco Bay Area estate. Deric Torres, senior vice president of Trust and Estates added, “The trust bequeathed many items to institutions around the country, and the Lavery painting is one of many fine items we will be offering from this very important estate.”

A more extensive sale recap will follow in a future issue.