Vanessa Bell Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Vanessa Bell Art Value Price Guide

Sep. 17, 2026
Vanessa Bell (1879-1961), Design for St. Michael and All Angels Church, circa 1941.
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Vanessa Bell (1879-1961) Design for St. Michael and All Angels Church. Gouache on collaged and cut wove paper, circa 1941.
Swann Auction Galleries
Sep. 08, 2026
Vanessa Bell, British 1879-1961 - Portrait of Quentin
Est: £4,000 - £6,000
Vanessa Bell, British 1879-1961 - Portrait of Quentin Bell, c.1924; watercolour and pencil on paper, 34 x 29 cm (ARR) Provenance: Robert Reedman (d.2016); Private Collection, gifted by the above Note: Quentin (1910-1996) was the son of Clive and Vanessa Bell, and became a vital member of the Bloomsbury community that lived around his mother and Duncan Grant's home Charleston in West Sussex. His works are in public collections including Newport Museum, the Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne and Glasgow Museums, and, he has become particularly celebrated in recent years for his decorative works such as ceramics and painted lampshades. His work will be the subject of an exhibition at Charleston from September 2026. Richard Reedman was a collector of Virginia Woolf and Bloomsbury memorabilia. A book on this collection can be viewed here. With thanks to Richard Shone for his assistance with the cataloguing of this lot.
Roseberys
Jul. 08, 2026
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961),HEAD OF A MAN, SARAGOSSA
Est: £600 - £800
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961)HEAD OF A MAN, SARAGOSSAPencilInscribed Saragossa (lower left)14.5 x 9cm (5½ x 3½in.)The present sheet originally formed part of a sketchbook, used by the artist on a trip to Spain, with Duncan Grant in May-June 1923.
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
Jul. 08, 2026
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961), STUDY OF A MAN ASLEEP IN A CAFE, VENICE
Est: £600 - £800
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961)STUDY OF A MAN ASLEEP IN A CAFE, VENICEPencil18.5 x 16cm (7¼ x 6¼in.)Drawn circa 1926.Provenance:The artist's daughter, Angelica GarnettGifted from the above to a private collectionJohn Swarbrooke Fine Art, LondonThe sheet was originally a page of a sketchbook which the artist used whilst in Venice in May-June 1926. The present drawing was possibly one of the sketches Bell made in the famous Caffe Florian. The artist wrote to John Maynard Keynes we have heavenly ices at Florian's most evenings & draw the company until they get too restive and suspicious. (letter from Vanessa Bell to J.M.Keynes May 30, 1926, now in the Morgan Library & Museum, New York (acc: MA 3448.77)).
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
Mar. 31, 2026
▲ Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Book cover for 'Monday or Tuesday' by Virginia Woolfe
Est: £500 - £700
▲ Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Book cover for 'Monday or Tuesday' by Virginia Woolfe a woodcut design published in an edition of 1000 by the Hogarth Press, London, 1921 (visible 18.5 x 11.5cm; framed 36 x 27.5cm) Provenance: With the Bloomsbury Workshop, London; the collection of Michael Rand; thence by descent. Condition Report: Discolouration and staining. Foxing. Scratch and small abrasions to centre. Not viewed out of glazed frame.
Sworders
Mar. 05, 2026
Rug
Est: £8,000 - £12,000
Vanessa Bell 1879 - 1961 Rug wool overall: 179 by 120.5cm.; 70¼ by 47½in. After a drawing circa 1932, ours woven circa 1987.
Sotheby's
Feb. 27, 2026
Vanessa Bell, Still Life with Flowers
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Vanessa Bell Still Life with Flowers c. 1920 watercolor on paper 23 h x 15 w in (58 x 38 cm) Estate stamp to lower right with additional painting to verso. Provenance: Collection of Robert Henry Adams This work will ship from Chicago, Illinois.
Toomey & Co. Auctioneers
Feb. 26, 2026
§ Vanessa Bell (1879-1961)
Est: £400 - £600
§ Vanessa Bell (1879-1961) Basket of Fruit; a 1956 calendar facsimile signed with initials (lower right) linocut with hand-colouring, unframed 19 x 13.5cm
Cheffins
Dec. 10, 2025
Vanessa Bell (1879-1961), "Design for Hogarth Press 'The Foreigner in the Family'," 1929
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
Vanessa Bell (1879-1961) "Design for Hogarth Press 'The Foreigner in the Family'," 1929 Watercolor and pencil on paper Estate stamped lower right; titled and dated verso
John Moran Auctioneers
Nov. 26, 2025
Mauve and Red Tulips
Est: £18,000 - £25,000
Vanessa Bell 1879 - 1961 Mauve and Red Tulips oil on canvas unframed: 61 by 45.5cm.; 24 by 18in. framed: 72.5 by 57cm.; 28½ by 22½in. Executed circa 1927-28. We are grateful to Richard Shone for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.
Sotheby's
Oct. 15, 2025
Vanessa Bell — [Virginia Woolf] | An exceptional encapsulation of the Bloomsbury Group
Est: $25,000 - $35,000
Vanessa Bell — [Virginia Woolf] A striking tile created by Vanesa Bell for her sister, Virginia Woolf, ca. Christmas 1926 Earthenware tile (152 x 152 mm). Glazed; minor chips to edges. Mounted and framed (overall 286 x 286 mm); not examined out of frame. “Virginia, December 25, 1926” An exceptional encapsulation of the Bloomsbury Group, embodying the bonds that Bell and Woolf shared as sisters and artists. “Nessa and I formed together a close conspiracy. In that world of many men, coming and going, in that big house with innumerable rooms, we formed our private nucleus[.]” — Virginia Woolf on her relationship with sister Vanessa Bell From the earliest moments of their lives, Virginia and Vanessa Stephen were close, with the intimacy of this relationship only increasing in depth and complexity through adulthood. Their father, Leslie Stephen, fostered an intellectual atmosphere, educating his daughters in literature, history, and the arts. In 1896, Vanessa had the opportunity to study drawing at Arthur Cope’s School of Art, and Virginia remained at home exploring various genres of literature and experimenting with her own writing style, setting in motion an artistic split between the sisters, as well as a sense of competition. Indeed, in a draft of A Sketch of the Past, Virginia observed “how imperfect” she had felt compared to Vanessa, “how vain and egotistical, irritable.” However, these sentiments were largely due to Virginia’s own insecurities, which sometimes manifested as a denigration of the visual arts. Woolf suggested that writers were “terribly exposed with life,” while painters “withdraw, they shut themselves up for weeks alone with a dish of apples and a paint box.” Still, Virginia valued her relationship with Vanessa immensely, and the two relied on one another for inspiration and constructive criticism. Competition evolved into something like collaboration, with Vanessa designing the jackets for Virginia’s books, and creating 38 in total for the Hogarth Press over 30 years or so. Virginia also portrayed Vanessa in many of her works including The Voyage Out (1915), Night and Day (1919), and To the Lighthouse (1927). In late 1926, Virginia Woolf was working on To the Lighthouse, and spent that Christmas at the Eagle’s Nest in Zennor, a town on the Cornish coast, with Leanord Woolf. They were the guests of Will Arnold-Forster and his wife Katherine, or “Ka.” Ka was the daughter of Henry Fisher Cox, a British stockbroker and a Fabian. After his sudden death in 1905, his daughters were left financially independent. It was in 1906 that Ka was first introduced to the Bloomsbury group when she began attending Vanessa Bell’s “Friday Club” fine arts discussions. She also posed for Duncan Grant on numerous occasions. Ka became involved with Rupert Brooke around the same time, and they eventually became lovers. It was through Brooke’s circle that she and Virginia Woolf (then still Virginia Stephen) met in January of 1911 at a gathering at Bertrand Russell's Oxfordshire home. They became fast friends, with Ka the inspiration for Mary Datchett in Woolf's Night and Day. While Virginia’s reputation and works endured through the decades, Vanessa’s was somewhat forgotten—overshadowed by the efforts of her male counterparts in the Bloomsbury Group, and by Duncan Grant in particular. Interest in Vanessa's works—ranging from paintings, to textiles, to ceramics and beyond—was renewed with the 1976 publication of Bloomsbury Portraits by Richard Shone. In 2024’s “Vanessa Bell: A World of Form and Color” was an exhibition solely dedicated to her works, featuring over 150 pieces, including rarely seen paintings as well as ceramics, furniture and textiles. As Kayla Schawb notes: “Together, as a sisterhood, Virginia and Vanessa worked to stake their claims as female artists and thinkers to challenge the patriarchal structures that are so deeply rooted in the intellectual world.” This tile is emblematic of sisters’ special relationship, and of the artistic and intellectual movement that would come to define their lives. The present “Bell Tile” was a part of the estate of Louie Mayer, who had been the Woolfs’ cook at Monk’s House for 34 years. Virginia Woolf’s walking stick, which was found on the banks of the River Ouse following her death, was a part of the same estate, and is now in the Berg Collection at the New York Public Library. A remarkable relic that evidences the emotional, intellectual, and creative ties shared by Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf. REFERENCE: Duong, Ha, “Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell: A Portrait of the Sisters as Young Artists”: https://www.davidzwirner.com/news/2022/virginia-woolf-vanessa-bell-young-artists (accessed 26 September 2025); Schwab, Kayla, “A Tale of Two Sisters: A Modernist Collaboration Between Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell,” in Vassar Critical Journal: https://vassarcriticaljournal.vassarspaces.net/issues/spring-2017/105-2/ (accessed 24 September 2025); Woof, Virginia, "A Sketch of the Past," in Moments of Being (1976), ed. Jeanne Schulkind PROVENANCE: Louie Mayer
Sotheby's
Sep. 22, 2025
VANESSA BELL (British, 1879-1961) The School Room 1938 lithograph published by Contemporary Lithographs Ltd., London 46 x 60.5cm
Est: $1,200 - $1,800
VANESSA BELL (British, 1879-1961) The School Room 1938 lithograph published by Contemporary Lithographs Ltd., London 46 x 60.5cm PROVENANCE: Private collection, Melbourne EXHIBITIONS: The Winter Exhibition, Cyril Gerber Fine Art, Glasgow, December, 2001 (another example) LITERATURE: Bradshaw, T., Bloomsbury Artists: Prints and Book Design, Scholar Press, Hampshire, 1999 (another example) Artmonsky, R., Art for Everyone: Contemporary Lithographs Ltd., Antique Collectors' Club, Suffolk, 2010, pp. 70-71 (illus., another example) OTHER NOTES: Other examples of this print are held in the collections of the Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; and Yale Center for British Art, America. Vanessa Bell was a pivotal figure within the Bloomsbury Group and one of the leading voices of early twentieth-century British modernism. Trained at the Royal Academy Schools, she was among the first English painters to embrace Post-Impressionist principles, adapting the lessons of Cézanne and Matisse to her own distinctive vision. Her practice spanned painting, design, interiors and book illustration, reflecting her belief that art should permeate all aspects of life. Bell was a founding member of the Omega Workshops, where she worked collaboratively with Duncan Grant and Roger Fry to dissolve the boundaries between fine and applied arts. Bell's works often centred on domestic life, gardens, and the close circle of friends and family that made up the Bloomsbury Group. She was also deeply involved in the intellectual currents of her time, balancing artistic innovation with an interest in everyday experience. Hannah Ryan Senior Art Specialist © Vanessa Bell/Copyright Agency, 2025
Leonard Joel
Sep. 18, 2025
Vanessa Bell (1879-1961), Portrait of Duncan Grant, 1931.
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
Vanessa Bell (1879-1961) Portrait of Duncan Grant. Pencil on lined ledger paper, 1931. Signed, dated and inscribed, lower right.
Swann Auction Galleries
Jul. 16, 2025
Bell (Vanessa, 1879-1961). Flowers and Grapes, 1951
Est: £400 - £600
Bell (Vanessa, 1879-1961). Flowers and Grapes, 1951 * Bell (Vanessa, 1879-1961). Flowers and Grapes, 1951, lithograph in colours on buff paper, signed and dated in pen to lower right, an artist's proof, before the published numbered edition of 170 (there was also a smaller numbered edition of 20), image size 25 x 18 cm (9 3/4 x 7 ins), framed and glazed (51 x 43.5 cm), together with Madonna and Child, colour pochoir on wove paper, studio stamp to sheet verso, gallery information to frame verso, tipped onto backing board with tape to sheet verso, some overall toning, a few light handling creases, sheet size 25 x 20 cm (9 3/4 x 8 ins), framed and glazed QTY: (2)
Dominic Winter Auctions
May. 15, 2025
Woolf, Virginia (1882-1941) & Vanessa Bell (1879-1961) Photographs & Watercolor.
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
Woolf, Virginia (1882-1941) & Vanessa Bell (1879-1961) Photographs & Watercolor. Including: three photographs of Woolf, including an old print of her at Monk's House, leaning against a massive urn, with her dog Pinka, a later enlargement of the same image in black-and-white, and a similar print of Woolf seated with a book; [together with] an original gouache painting of an iris on a blue circle enclosed by a gray background done on watercolor paper with a little tear-off pre-printed calendar for the year 1947 attached (unused), inscribed on the verso in Bell's hand, "with the Compliments of the Season," 5 5/8 x 4 in.
Swann Auction Galleries
Mar. 28, 2025
Attributed to Vanessa Bell (British, 1879 - 1961) Still life by the Studio Window
Est: £600 - £800
Attributed to Vanessa Bell (British, 1879 - 1961) Still life by the Studio Window Oil on artist's board Signed, lower right: 'V. Bell 1933' Provenance: R. Jackson & Sons, Liverpool, 1934 Dimensions: (Board) 14 in. (H) x 12 in. (W) (Frame) 18 in. (H) x 16 in. (W)
Sloane Street Auctions
Mar. 12, 2025
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961), STILL LIFE WITH JAR, FRUIT AND BUST, CHARLESTON
Est: £15,000 - £25,000
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961)STILL LIFE WITH JAR, FRUIT AND BUST, CHARLESTONOil on boardSigned with initials and dated 55 (lower left)44 x 53cm (17¼ x 20¾ in.) Provenance:Sale, Christie's, London, 2 March 1979, lot 101Exhibited:London, The Adams Gallery, Vanessa Bell, 1956, no. 27 (as 'Child;s Bust')
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
Mar. 12, 2025
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961), THE POND AT CHARLESTON LOOKING TOWARDS TILTON
Est: £20,000 - £30,000
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961)THE POND AT CHARLESTON LOOKING TOWARDS TILTONOil on canvasSigned with initials (verso)60 x 50cm (23½ x 19½ in.)Painted circa 1950.Provenance:Sale, Sotheby's, London, 23 May 1984, lot 106The Maas Gallery, LondonAcquired from the above by the late owner in 2011Tilton is a farming hamlet where John Maynard Keynes and his wife Lydia Lopokova lived in Tilton House, the little white building with grey roof at centre of this composition. Bell has set up her easel to face Tilton, with her back to Charleston, on the gravel terrace between the house and the pond. A comparable view is illustrated on p. 113 of Richard Shone's catalogue which accompanies the exhibition The Art of Bloomsbury at the Tate Gallery in 2000. We are grateful to Richard Shone for his assistance with the cataloguing of this work.
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
Feb. 26, 2025
† Vanessa Bell (British 1879-1961) Design for Rug gouache 25 x 12 cm, framed and glazed 51 x 38.5 cm Painted circa 1938.
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
† Vanessa Bell (British 1879-1961) Design for Rug gouache 25 x 12 cm, framed and glazed 51 x 38.5 cm Painted circa 1938. Provenance With The Bloomsbury Workshop, London. Reader's Digest Corporate Collection, 7 January 1991, stock no. 71899. London, Anthony d'Offay, 1983, no.4. Anon. sale, Christie's, 19 November 2004, lot 36. Private collection, UK. Exhibited Johannesburg, Art Gallery, Bloomsbury Artists at Charleston: Paintings from the Reader's Digest Corporate Collection, November 1992 - February 1993.
Dawsons Auctioneers
Dec. 18, 2024
Vanessa Bell 1879 Londra-1961 Charleston (UK) Girls on the grass
Est: €7,000 - €10,000
Girls on the grass Label on the reverse of the The Bloomsbury Workshop, London Largh. 40 - Alt. 29 Cm olio su tela applicato su tavola The Bloomsbury Workshop, Londra Collezione privata, Torino
Cambi Casa d'Aste
Sep. 10, 2024
Vanessa Bell (English, 1879-1961), 'Man in a hat', Café drawing Paris 1920's, pencil on paper, 18 x 17cm
Est: £600 - £800
§ Vanessa Bell (English, 1879-1961) 'Man in a hat', Café drawing Paris 1920's pencil on paper Estate stamp
Gorringes
Jul. 26, 2024
Vanessa Bell for Clarice Cliff, a Harrod
Est: £70 - £100
Vanessa Bell for Clarice Cliff, a Harrods Exhibition twin handled bowl, 1934, footed ovoid form with inverted rim, painted with interlocking dotted circles and crosshatch band, below green beaded border, printed Bizarre marks and facsimile signature, 19cm wide
Kinghams Auctioneers
Jul. 09, 2024
▲ Vanessa Bell (1879-1961)
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
▲ Vanessa Bell (1879-1961) French Landscape, 1921 signed and dated l.r., watercolour 44 x 66cm, 62 x 84cm framed Provenance: Abbott & Holder; the Estate of Max Clendinning and Ralph Adron.
Sworders
Jun. 07, 2024
Untitled
Est: £15,000 - £25,000
Vanessa Bell 1879 - 1961 Untitled signed with the artist’s initials VB (lower right); also signed with the artist’s initials VB and variously inscribed (on the reverse) oil on canvas unframed: 50.8 by 40.6 cm.; 20 by 16in. We are grateful to Richard Shone for his kind assistance with the cataloguing for the present work.
Sotheby's
May. 26, 2024
Vanessa Bell "Still Life, Corner of a Mantelpiece, 1914" Print
Est: $400 - $600
Vanessa Bell (1879-1961) was a British painter and interior designer known for her contributions to the Bloomsbury Group, a circle of writers, artists, and intellectuals who were influential in the early 20th-century British art and literature scene. Here are some key points about Vanessa Bell:1. **Early Life and Background**: Vanessa Stephen, later known as Vanessa Bell, was born on May 30, 1879, in London, England. She was the elder sister of Virginia Woolf, the famo writer. Her family was part of the intellectual and artistic elite of London.2. **Bloomsbury Group**: Vanessa Bell was a central figure in the Bloomsbury Group, a loosely affiliated collective of writers, artists, and thinkers that included her sister Virginia Woolf, as well as artists Duncan Grant and Roger Fry, among others. The group emphasized artistic and intellectual freedom and often challenged societal norms.3. **Artistic Career**: Bell was primarily known for her painting. Her style evolved from a post-impressionist approach to a more abstract and modernist style influenced by the works of CÃÂ©zanne and Matisse. She painted landscapes, portraits, and still lifes.4. **Interior Design**: In addition to her painting, Bell was also known for her work as an interior designer. She created innovative and artistic designs for vario spaces, including her own homes.5. **Charleston Farmhoe**: Vanessa Bell, along with Duncan Grant, transformed Charleston Farmhoe in Ssex into a vibrant and artistic home. The farmhoe became a hub for the Bloomsbury Group and featured their artistic creations throughout the interior.6. **Personal Life**: Vanessa Bell had a complex personal life. She was married to Clive Bell, an art critic, but their marriage was unconventional and open. She had romantic relationships with other members of the Bloomsbury Group, including Duncan Grant.7. **Portraiture**: Bell created portraits of vario members of the Bloomsbury Group and other notable individuals. Her portrait of her sister Virginia Woolf is particularly well-known.8. **Literary Connections**: Bell was closely connected to her sister Virginia Woolf, and their creative endeavors often intersected. Bell designed book covers for Woolf's Hogarth Press.9. **Legacy**: Vanessa Bell's contributions to the visual arts and her role in the Bloomsbury Group have earned her a lasting place in the history of modern British art. Her work continues to be studied and celebrated for its innovative and influential nature.10. **Death and Recognition**: Vanessa Bell passed away on April 7, 1961. Her work has been featured in numero exhibitions, and her legacy as a pioneering artist and a central figure in the Bloomsbury Group remains significant.Vanessa Bell's artistic career, innovative interior design, and her involvement in the Bloomsbury Group collectively reflect her impact on the cultural and artistic milieu of early 20th-century Britain. Her work continues to be appreciated for its contribution to modernist art and design. Measures 27.8 x 21.5.
Morgan Auctions
Mar. 16, 2024
Vanessa Bell Still Life Watercolour on Paper
Est: £400 - £500
Vanessa Bell ( British1879 1961) Still Life Watercolour on Paper. Signed Vanessa Bell Lower Right . Gilt framed under glass 49.5 x 58 cm.
Cooper Barrington LLP
Mar. 14, 2024
BELL VANESSA: (1879-1961)
Est: €250 - €350
BELL VANESSA: (1879-1961) BELL VANESSA: (1879-1961) English painter and interior designer, a member of the Bloomsbury Group and the sister of Virginia Woolf. A.L.S., Vanessa, one page, 8vo, Clareville Grove, London, n.d. ('Tuesday'. c.1958-59), to Tom [Maschler]. Bell apologises for not having sent a reply before and explains that she will 'be off to Paris at the end of this week for a fortnight, so can't come to your party', and concludes by thanking Maschler for having asked her. VG Tom Maschler (1933-2020) British publisher who, from 1960, was head of the publishing company Jonathan Cape for more than three decades. Maschler was also instrumental in establishing the Booker Prize in 1969. Bell's letter is written from the home of her friend Rosamond Lehmann (1901-1990), the English novelist who was intimate with members of the Bloomsbury set.
International Autograph Auctions Europe, S.L.
Mar. 12, 2024
Vanessa Bell, British 1879-1961 - Woman Asleep, study for Woodcut, c.191
Est: £5,000 - £7,000
Vanessa Bell, British 1879-1961 - Woman Asleep, study for Woodcut, c.1918; ink and pencil on paper, 16 x 13.4 cm (ARR) Provenance: the Estate of the Artist; with Anthony d'Offay, London (according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame); Ann Chegwidden OBE and Robin Morton Smith, purchased from the above in 1983 (according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame); Bonhams, Knightsbridge, Modern Pictures, 13th May 2008, lot 184, sold on behalf of Friends of the Earth and Christian Aid; private collection Exhibited: Anthony d'Offay, London, 'Vanessa Bell Paintings, Drawings and Watercolours', 1983, no.26 (according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame)
Roseberys
Dec. 19, 2023
Vanessa Bell 1879 Londra-1961 Charleston (UK) Girls on the grass
Est: €10,000 - €12,000
Etichetta al retro della The Bloomsbury Workshop, Londra
Cambi Casa d'Aste
Nov. 29, 2023
Vanessa Bell, 'A Society' for Virginia Woolf's 'Monday or Tuesday', 1921;
Est: £500 - £700
Vanessa Bell, British 1879-1961 - 'A Society' for Virginia Woolf's 'Monday or Tuesday', 1921; woodcut on paper, 13.8 x 10 cm (ARR) Provenance: with The Bloomsbury Workshop, London; The Harris Collection, USA and thence by descent Note: An original woodcut by Vanessa Bell to illustrate the story 'A Society' in Virginia Woolf's 'Monday or Tuesday', 1921.
Roseberys
Nov. 29, 2023
Vanessa Bell, Family Group, Frances and Nerissa Garnett, c.1957;
Est: £1,500 - £2,000
Vanessa Bell, British 1879-1961 - Family Group, Frances and Nerissa Garnett, c.1957; gouache on paper, with Estate Stamp on the reverse, 40.8 x 20.2 cm (ARR) Provenance: with The Bloomsbury Workshop, London (according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame); The Harris Collection, New York, purchased from the above and thence by descent Exhibited: Palazzo Massari, Ferrara, 'Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf "Disegnare la vita" ', May - July 1996, no.36 (illus.pg.80) Note: the matching checkered trousers suggest the sitters are the twins of Angelica and David Garnett.
Roseberys
Nov. 29, 2023
Vanessa Bell, Venice, c.1950;
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
Vanessa Bell, British 1879-1961 - Venice, c.1950; watercolour and pencil on paper, signed lower right 'Vanessa Bell', 34.8 x 25.2 cm (ARR) Provenance: with Thos. Agnew & Sons. Ltd., London (according to a copy of the original backing board attached to the reverse of the frame); with The Bloomsbury Workshop, London (according to a copy of the original invoice); The Harris Collection, USA, purchased from the above on the 22nd March 1999 and thence by descent Note: Bell visited Venice in 1926 when her work was included in the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Numerous works made during this visit are now in public collections, including 'A Venetian Window, 1926' (Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum) and 'Canal Scene, Venice, 1926' (The Red House, Aldeburgh). Bell exhibited with Thos. Agnew & Sons. Ltd., London in the 1930s and 40s.
Roseberys
Nov. 29, 2023
Vanessa Bell, Henrietta Garnett, c.1950s;
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
Vanessa Bell, British 1879-1961 - Henrietta Garnett, c.1950s; oil on paper, 59.5 x 43 cm (ARR) Provenance: with The Bloomsbury Workshop, London (according to a copy of the original invoice); The Harris Collection, USA, purchased from the above on the 3rd March 1994 and thence by descent Note: the writer, Henrietta Garnett, was the artist's granddaughter.
Roseberys
Nov. 29, 2023
Vanessa Bell, Bridge in Paris, c.1921;
Est: £600 - £800
Vanessa Bell, British 1879-1961 - Bridge in Paris, c.1921; watercolour on paper, with Estate Stamp lower right, 18.3 x 13 cm (ARR) Provenance: with The Bloomsbury Workshop, London (according to the label attached to the reverse of the frame and copy of the original invoice); The Harris Collection, USA, purchased from the above on the 11th March 1998 and thence by descent Note: the artist painted a similar scene of a bridge in Paris in 1921, the work 'Le Pont Neuf, Paris' now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and 'On the Seine' at the Fitzwilliam Museum.
Roseberys
Nov. 22, 2023
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) The Turkish Box 61 x 73.5 cm. (24 x 29 in.)
Est: £20,000 - £30,000
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) The Turkish Box signed and dated 'V Bell 1934' (lower right) oil on canvas 61 x 73.5 cm. (24 x 29 in.)
Bonhams
Oct. 19, 2023
VANESSA BELL (1879-1961) Still Life with Fan oil on canvas 23 3⁄8 x 19 in.
Est: £18,000 - £25,000
VANESSA BELL (1879-1961) Still Life with Fan oil on canvas 23 3⁄8 x 19 in. (59.5 x 48.3 cm.)
Christie's
Oct. 06, 2023
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961), THE SCHOOL ROOM
Est: £200 - £300
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961)THE SCHOOL ROOM Lithograph printed in colours, 1937Bear signature in pencil Published by Contemporary Lithographs Ltd., LondonImage: 46 x 60cm (18 x 23½ in.)
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
Oct. 04, 2023
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961), STILL LIFE OF NARCISSI
Est: £10,000 - £15,000
λ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH 1879-1961) STILL LIFE OF NARCISSI, CHARLESTONOil on canvas Indistinctly signed with initials and inscribed (verso)38 x 25cm (14¾ x 9¾ in.)Provenance:The Adams Gallery, London Sotheby's, London, 6 November 2007, lot 30, where purchased by Robert KimeThe present work was most likely painted in the early 1950s in Grant's studio at Charleston, the vase being on the high mantelshelf (where it can still be seen today in the same position, now with reduced spout). Pheasant-eye narcissi were a favourite of Bell's.We are grateful to Richard Shone for his kind assistance in cataloguing this work.
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
Sep. 20, 2023
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Street in Asolo, Italy 66 x 52 cm. (26 x 20 1/2 in.) (Painted in 1955)
Est: £12,000 - £18,000
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Street in Asolo, Italy stamped with estate stamp 'VB' (lower right); further stamped with estate stamp 'VB' (on panel verso) oil on canvas laid on panel 66 x 52 cm. (26 x 20 1/2 in.) Painted in 1955
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Lime Quarry and Cement Works at Lewes 40 x 31.6 cm. (15 3/4 x 12 1/2 in.) (Painted circa 1934-36)
Est: £7,000 - £10,000
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Lime Quarry and Cement Works at Lewes oil on canvas board 40 x 31.6 cm. (15 3/4 x 12 1/2 in.) Painted circa 1934-36
Bonhams
Sep. 20, 2023
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Near Alfriston 38.1 x 45.3 cm. (15 x 17 3/4 in.) (Executed circa 1940)
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Near Alfriston stamped with estate stamp (lower right) oil on paper 38.1 x 45.3 cm. (15 x 17 3/4 in.) Executed circa 1940
Bonhams
Jul. 12, 2023
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Angelica (Executed circa 1930)
Est: £800 - £1,200
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Angelica stamped with estate stamp (lower right) pencil on paper 22.5 x 18.5cm (8 7/8 x 7 5/16in). Executed circa 1930
Bonhams
Jul. 12, 2023
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Montepulciano (Executed circa 1950)
Est: £800 - £1,200
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Montepulciano titled 'Montepulciano' (lower right) pen and ink and ink on paper 29.5 x 34.5cm (11 5/8 x 13 9/16in). Executed circa 1950
Bonhams
Jul. 12, 2023
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Villa at Iseo
Est: £1,200 - £1,800
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Villa at Iseo signed with initials, dated and inscribed 'VB Iseo 1952' (lower right) watercolour on paper 37.5 x 27cm (14 3/4 x 10 5/8in).
Bonhams
Jul. 04, 2023
Â§ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH, 1879-1961)
Est: £20,000 - £30,000
Â§ VANESSA BELL (BRITISH, 1879-1961) VANESSA BELL (BRITISH, 1879-1961) Hydrangeas signed with initials 'VB' (lower right) oil on canvas 40 x 37.3 cm. (15 3/4 x 14 3/4 in.) Painted circa 1951 Please note this work is also signed by Duncan Grant 'VB' and titled 'hydrangeas' by Simon Watney (verso) Provenance With The Bloomsbury Workshop, London, where purchased by the present owner We are grateful to Richard Shone for his assistance with cataloguing this lot. Hydrangeas was created during years of 1951-52, and captures how pivotal painting was to Bell and how crucially it featured as part of the artistâs every day. The atmosphere of collaborative pursuits that existed between her and close members of her creative circles is deeply imbedded within this painting and refenced in many ways. Namely her close friend, partner and fellow Bloomsbury Group member Duncan Grant, and her son, Quentin Bell are referenced within the painting. The pot was almost certainly produced by Quentin Bell and painted by Vanessa, with the back of the canvas marked with Duncan Grantâs hand. âthe firm pillar of our existenceâ¦sensible and physically beautifulâ (Quentin Bell, discussing his mother, Vanessa) Bellâs commitment to both her family and her own artistic explorations, is captured during her time in Charleston, where she moved to in 1916, and remained until she died in 1961. Whilst her and Grantâs romantic relationship subsided, their lifelong friendship and commitment to creativity is found in many examples of both of their works, from portraits of one another and examples such as this, Hydrangeas, which in many ways reflects Quentinâs statement of his mother as the âpillarâ, creating in a multitude of ways, from painting, to pottery, designing and textiles, clothing and furniture. All elements of her existence pointed towards post-expressionist aesthetic, through the use of bold colours, textures, colours and shapes. Charleston, their Sussex farmhouse, has come to be in essence the embodiment of Bellâs interdisciplinary approach to her own creativity, leaving no surface untouched by her vision. Despite Bellâs historic overshadowing by notable figures in her circle, her first husband Clive Bell, close friend Roger Fry, sister Virginia Woolf, and finally, livelong partner Duncan Grant, Bellâs own personal contribution to British Art is widely document and reflected in the present day. This was not only recognised by Dulwich Picture Gallery in their 2017 retrospective, but has since been notable in the inclusion of Bell works in major institutions, such as The National Portrait Gallery, the Tate, and Yale Center for British Art.
Chiswick Auctions
Jun. 29, 2023
Attributed to Vanessa Bell (1879 - 1961), Still life by the Studio Window (c. 1933)
Est: £400 - £600
Property of a GentlemanAttributed to Vanessa Bell (1879 - 1961)Still life by the Studio WindowOil on artist's boardSigned, lower right: 'V. Bell 1933'Provenance:Label of R. Jackson & Sons, Liverpool, 1934Dimensions:(Board) 14 in. (H) x 12 in. (W)(Frame) 18 in. (H) x 16 in. (W)
Sloane Street Auctions
May. 29, 2023
Two Framed Art Works - Vanessa Bell "Interior With a Table" print (hole to flower stem) and a Chinese Abstract. Largest frame: 52 x 50.5cm.
Est: -
Two Framed Art Works - Vanessa Bell "Interior With a Table" print (hole to flower stem) and a Chinese Abstract.
Bargain Hunt Auctions
May. 18, 2023
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Curtain Design for "High Yellow," 1932
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961) Curtain Design for "High Yellow," 1932 oil and gouache on paper 19 5/8 x 21 inches. Property From the Estate of Lucia Woods Lindley Provenance: The Artist's Estate Anthony d'Offay, London Purchased from the above, 1983 Exhibited: New York, Davis & Long, in association with Anthony d'Offay, Ltd., Vanessa Bell: A Retrospective Exhibition, April 18 - May 24, 1980, p. 31, no. 43 Vanessa Bell was one of the most celebrated painters of the Bloomsbury Group, an association of British writers, intellectuals, philosophers, and artists that formed in the early 20th century. The group included her sister, Virginia Woolf, as well as E.M. Forster, John Maynard Keynes, and Lytton Strachey. During her lifetime, Bell exhibited in London and Paris and was praised for her work and designs that rejected Victorian strictures of narrative painting, and instead embraced bright colors and bold forms. In addition to her painting, Bell collaborated with Duncan Grant, a fellow Bloomsbury Group artist, to create set designs for theatrical and dance productions. On the recommendation of Grant, in 1932, Bell was asked to design the set for High Yellow. Produced for the Camargo Society, the ballet is set to jazz music and takes place on a tropical island. The present work, a curtain design for the ballet, reveals the artist's innovative use of flat fields of bold shapes done in vibrant hues to create a lively and vivid image. In a letter to Roger Fry, Bell described how much she enjoyed this new challenge of creating a tropical scene complete with palms, boats, and a cocktail bar. Although she modestly described her set as being "quite successful," she was invited to do several more in subsequent years.
Hindman