'A Summer Night' is a large and important painting already in the Walker's collection. The painting was typical of Moore's concerns to create a flat composition, in which the decorative treatment of colour was all important. This study illuminates the artist's working methods, showing an impromptu aspect of his style as well as how Moore switched the position of the reclining figure in the final composition by working on the back of the drawing. The Walker also holds a preliminary watercolour for the painting which dated later as the artist decided to depict the figures completely nude instead of draped as in this version.

Provenance

Private collection; Amersham Auction Rooms, 2008; Sarah Colegrave. The work has been vetted by the Art Loss Register.