HARRY RUTHERFORD (1903-1985). "Camden Town, 1933". oil on canvas, with further study of a fairground verso. signed lower right. further inscribed and titled on the frame, dated 1933. 60 x 75.5 cm. framed. Provenance: Private Collection London, purchased 1977,  With Leva Gallery, London. FOOTNOTE: A little known work painted after the artist’s move to Camden, London in the early 1930’s to continue his studies and association with Walter Sickert [1860 - 1942] In 1926 in Manchester, Rutherford took over the running of Walter Sickert’s Painting School and their friendship was to be lifelong. Sickert later described Rutherford as “My intellectual heir and successor’. This striking exterior street scene is bathed in mid-day light and compositionally closely resembles “Camden Town’ by Rutherford in the Royal Academy Collections. Populated with figures in transit casting shadows, to the right of the composition is a solitary single male figure in top-hat, observing the scene.  It has been suggested that this figure is a depiction by Rutherford of his mentor, the artist Walter Sickert.  Between 1927 and 1934, Sickert had established the last of his painting schools at No 1 Highbury Place in Camden, and Rutherford may well have used these studios at this time. He would later set up his own studio after Sickert departed London for Broadstairs in 1934.  During WW2 Rutherford’s studio was obliterated during a bombing raid with the loss of a considerable body of his Camden work making this work a rare example of his output at this time. The incomplete fairground composition verso may relate to a series of works Rutherford undertook at Gorleston on Sea near Great Yarmouth in 1932, where together with his brother Bob he ran concert parties at the Pavillion as part of the summer entertainments, and spent some time painting scenic backgrounds. [See ‘Great Yarmouth’ 1932. The Rutherford Gallery ]. Rutherford moved to London the following year to re-establish his painting career and the re-use of the canvas would seem consistent with the artist’s approach at this time.  In a rare later photograph of Rutherford taken after his return to Manchester in the 1950’s, he is seen seated in his studio. On the mantlepiece is a copy of the 1923 studio portrait of Sickert by Edward Drummond Young [ and later reproduced in oil by Sylvia Gosse in her noted work ] When he left school at the age of 14, Rutherford sought to develop his drawing skills and alongside fellow artist LS Lowry attended evening classes at the Manchester School of Art. Whilst there are echoes of Lowry’s figurative depictions in this work by Rutherford alongside the undoubted influence of Sickert, it is clearly a singular work by an important British artist. (May be subject to Artist's Resale Rights)