Reference photograph, catalogue sheet 31
Cat. 133 · Study
Woman in a Navy Jacket
Assigned title
1950s (approximate)
- Medium
- Oil on hard board
- Dimensions
- 40 cm × 30 cmAs recorded in the catalogue
- Date
- 1950s (approximate)Approximate period suggested in the catalogue commentary; not documented.
- Signature
- Not recorded
- Catalogue no.
- Cat. 133* (asterisk explained under Verso)
- Source
- Catalogue, entry 133
- Status
- Private collection
Description
A head and shoulders study of a young woman in a navy blue jacket with shortish hair.
Commentary
Likely painted in the 1950s in England, showing the influence of Auerback amongst others. The heavy impasto, strong, confident and vigorous brush strokes especially in the skin tones with short flat planes of colour modelled from pigment mixed on the canvas show Alec Fleming at his best.
Attribution
Attributed to Alec Fleming.
Given to Alec Fleming in the catalogue.
Catalogue wording: “Alec Fleming *”
Verso
Alec Fleming.
Catalogue no. 133* — The asterisk against this catalogue number refers to the catalogue introduction’s note on the “A Fleming” marking on the reverse of many boards, reproduced below. It flags the caveat; it is not itself evidence of authorship.
Source note, catalogue introduction
Many boards are marked “A Fleming” in marker pen, in block capitals, on the reverse. Some of these may be by Barbara Fleming.
It is unlikely that the same marker pen, in the same hand and in the same position on the board, would have been used over several decades. In places the marker is written over older paint marks, staining and scarring, which suggests a later application — potentially at a single date, to denote ownership rather than attribution, and probably by Alec Fleming.
Condition
Good.
Provenance and research
Research notes
- The title is marked [assigned] in the catalogue.
Further works
Alec Fleming
Cat. 1
Woman in a Pearl Necklace
Attributed to Alec Fleming
1930s in style · Oil on hand-stretched canvas, fixed with nails; unframed

Cat. 2
Self Portrait – Alec Fleming
Attributed to Alec Fleming
Possibly early to mid-1960s, in style · Oil on hardboard

Cat. 3
Self Portrait – Head, Alec Fleming
Attributed to Alec Fleming
Possibly mid-1960s, in style · Oil on hardboard

Cat. 4
African Violets
Attributed to Alec Fleming
Date not recorded · Oil on hardboard, unvarnished