BERRY, Arthur
 
Nude II (1988); original drawing on wove paper. Executed in soft pastel and charcoal. Signed by Berry to lower left.
 
Description
 
A late-career figurative work on paper by the North Staffordshire artist Arthur Berry (1925–1994). This piece was executed following the artist’s retirement from teaching at North Staffordshire Polytechnic in 1985. It demonstrates a saturated colour palette and charcoal draughtsmanship, a style characteristic of the later period of his career.
Arthur Berry studied at the Burslem School of Art and the Royal College of Art before returning to the Potteries. His practice focused on documenting working class culture, industrial landscapes, and inhabitants of post-war Staffordshire. His original paintings and drawings are held across major British public collections, most notably at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent.
The sheet is flat and without tears, punctures, or evidence of moisture damage. The pastel and charcoal layers are stable, with no visible signs of pigment flaking or powdering. The frame is structurally secure and sealed at the reverse.
Framed and glazed; stepped black wooden frame with a silver inner fillet.
Sheet, 79.0x56.0cm; external, 91.0x69.0cm.