William Scott, [Backyard Scene], c. 1936

[Backyard Scene], c. 1936
Oil on board
43.3 × 35 cm / 17 × 13¾ in
Private collection

The Scott family believe that the view is from 5 Challoner Mansions in West London where Mary Lucas (later Scott) had her studio. While it is impossible to verify the group of buildings, the backyard and the style of the buildings suggest some place other than London. It is tentatively suggested that the painting may date from one of Scott’s visits to Cornwall, that is to say, either between September 1935 and May 1936 or in the summer of 1937.