Lot 99: Margaret Morris 1891-1980 , boats at brighton

signed and inscribed on the reverse: MARGARET MORRIS/ 1 GLEBE PLACE/ CHELSEA/ S.W.3 oil on canvas

51 by 61 cm., 20 by 24 in.

Glasgow, McLellan Gallery, The New Scottish Group - First Retrospective Exhibition, 1951

Margaret (Meg) Morris is now perhaps best-known as the partner of John Duncan Fergusson, but it is no exaggeration to suggest that she was one of the most remarkable women of her generation, a talented professional artist and a pioneering choreographer. She was also an author and wrote The Art of J. D. Fergusson; A Biased Biography in 1974 which is perhaps the best insight into the art of Fergusson and their fascinating life together. Despite what several compilers of artist's dictionaries have written, Fergusson and Morris were never married but were devoted companions and great influence upon each other's work. Margaret Morris was the daughter of W. Bright Morris, of Irish, Welsh and Wiltshire descent and had a passion for the theatre from an early age; making her stage debut aged only eight. By the time she was sixteen she was one of London's youngest actor-managers and among her enthusiasts were Wyndham Lewis, Jacob Epstein and Augustus John. Meg first met Fergusson in 1913 when she was performing with her fellow dancers at the Marigny theatre in Paris. She had learnt classical Greek dance movement with Raymond Duncan, the brother of Isadora Duncan and developed her own highly individual style of choreography. She is now regarded as one of the great pioneers of modern dance. Before she was twenty she had established her own dance academy in Chelsea in London, with the financial backing of the playwright John Galsworthy where she taught free modes of expression. A mutual friend of Fergusson and Morris, Holbrook Jackson arranged their introduction and there followed a lasting love affair, which lasted for the rest of their lives. ?Her dynamic personality and sensuous physicality captivated Fergusson, inspiring much of his subsequent work. A large and important portrait by Fergusson of Margaret Morris, entitled The Pink Box was sold by Sotheby's last year (Sotheby's, Gleneagles, 30 August 2006, lot 1028). 'Despite her undoubted importance as Fergusson's model, however, this aspect was secondary to the development of a mutually beneficial creative partnership. Their relationship, not least, strengthened and sustained a shared belief in the interdependence of the arts.? (Kirsten Simister, Living Paint; J. D. Fergusson 1874-1961 , 2001, p. 55) Fergusson felt that Morris could only fully explore the creativity of her dancing by mastering the art of painting and gave her much encouragement. Through her painting she developed her ability to express herself but she showed great talent for painting and it became yet another art form in which she excelled. The title of the present picture is identified by a photograph of Fergusson and Morris taken at the New Scottish Group exhibition at the McLellan gallery in 1951 in which the painting can be seen behind Fergusson's head (illustrated on page 80 of this catalogue). Of the pictures by Morris included in this exhibition, the most likely to be the present picture is Boats at Brighton (the others were Portrait of Anita and Myself , White Cup and Rose , Flossie , Le Crystal - Juan le Pins , In Aix-en-Provence , Square in Antibes , Coach Houses at Chateau d'Azay de Rideau). The exhibition catalogue states that this picture was painted in 1917, the year that Meg established her first annual summer school of dance, in Combe Martin in Devon. This was a pivotal year for Morris as these summer schools were to become one of her greatest achievements, inspiring many young dancers. It is tempting to speculate that the figures depicted in the present painting represent a romantic view of Morris and Fergusson, whose relationship was perhaps the strongest and most enduring of all the Colourists. We are very grateful to Jennifer Kinnear of the Fergusson Gallery for her efforts to trace exhibition details for this picture