Augustus John's paintings owned by Liz Taylor raise 250,000 at auction

WORKS by one of Wales’ most celebrated and controversial artists that were owned by Hollywood superstar Dame Elizabeth Taylor fetched almost 250,000 at auction yesterday.

The works by Augustus John included portraits of former lovers and an oil painting of his daughter Poppet.

The 22 drawings and paintings formed part of the sale of Taylor’s artwork at Christie’s, which included works by Van Gogh, Degas and Pissarro.

Earlier this week the three masterpieces fetched a combined 13,787,750, more than double their pre-sale low estimate of 6.2m.

John, whose works sold for a total of 223,263, made his name painting portraits of leading figures of 1920s Britain like Lawrence of Arabia and George Bernard Shaw.

The portrait of Poppet, one of four children John had with second wife Dorothy McNeill, was the most valuable of the artist’s work to feature and sold for 85,250 against an estimate of 40,000 to 60,000.

Tristan de Vere Cole, who along with his mother Mavis was among John’s subjects and a close friend of Poppet’s, described the work as “very like her”.

Mr Cole, 70, who is believed to be the last of many children John fathered outside his two marriages, said: “I wouldn’t put it down as one of his best portraits – it’s in the mid-range.

“The hat, the face and the chair are very good indeed, though I’m not so sure about the fur.”

Taylor’s father Frank lived in John’s Hampstead home after the artist and inherited works left there by the painter.

The works were eventually passed on to the actress. She died last March.

Dr Paul Joyner, head of purchasing at the National Library of Wales, in Aberystwyth, which holds several works by John, described the portrait of Poppet as an “absolute classic”.

Dr Joyner said: “He shows the coyness of the woman and it’s so full of sensuality, which is exactly what you’d expect from a fine Augustus John.

“He’s cut off the figure to really enhance the idea of the elegance of the woman.”

Dr Joyner said the 85,250 paid for the painting, dating from 1935, was a little over the 50,000 to 70,000 normally offered for works by the Tenby-born artist.

But he said the new owner was also paying for the painting’s “provenance” as a work previously owned by Taylor.

He said: “When you’ve got an interesting provenance you’re not just buying a picture – you’re buying a history.

“And when you’ve got a history like that – a beautiful woman having a portrait of another beautiful woman you’ve got something which is worth a lot extra.”

Retired film and television director Mr Cole, who spoke about John’s work at the National Library last year, said his son was planning to bid on a portrait of his mother that sold yesterday for 3,750.

His mother met her future husband, the eccentric prankster and poet William Horace de Vere Cole and John in 1928 at the Café Royal on Regent Street, in London.

Her marriage to the poet in 1930 was to be the beginning of an impressive social career as a “bright young thing” that saw her become John’s mistress four years later.

Taylor’s father was an art dealer with a gallery in Bond Street, London, who established a close relationship with the Welsh artist.

After relocating to California during the war, he opened an art gallery at the Chateau Elysée, but quickly moved it to the more impressive Beverly Hills Hotel.

There stars like Howard Duff, Vincent Price, James Mason, Alan Ladd, Hedda Hopper and Greta Garbo could be found picking art for their own collections.

Mr Taylor acted as John’s American agent for many years and was responsible for the artist gaining popularity in the United States.

John’s works sold yesterday featured in Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Day sale.