Chichester auctioneers break record for price of an artist's work for the third time

A world record for the price of an artists work has been set by a Chichester auctioneers for the third time.
The painting by Sir Cedric Morris with auctioneer Lucy HomerThe painting by Sir Cedric Morris with auctioneer Lucy Homer
The painting by Sir Cedric Morris with auctioneer Lucy Homer

Henry Adam Fine Art auctioneers set the record of £140,000 for the work of the British painter and plantsman Sir Cedric Morris (1889-1982), with a painting of flowers and butterflies, signed and dates 1927, a key period in the artists career.

The painting, which was sold on January 17, topped the record prices of two previous paintings of the artist, the most recent painting, again of wild flowers, sold for £130,000 in April 2017.

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Director Andrew Swain said: "We are delighted to be so closely associated with such a fascinating artist, proving our ability again to achieve the highest results for his work at auction."

Fresh to the market, the picture came from a private seller in her 90’s who knew the painting all her life growing up on the South Downs in West Sussex. When her Mother died in the early 1990s and the pictures were divided she chose her favourite - the Cedric Morris.

Flowers remain Morris’s most popular subject, although he is also well known for his work as a horticulturalist breeding irises, as well as painting portraits and landscapes. Following a major Tate retrospective in the late 1980s and two recent London exhibitions, the artist’s star continues to rise and he is regarded by many as Britain’s best flower painter.

Henry Adams Fine Art auctioneers hold monthly sale of antiques and fine art, and host regular valuation days in their Baffins Hall saleroom, a 17th century chapel in central Chichester.