last update 20 4.14
left click in the centre of the image should enlarge it.
left click in the centre of the image should enlarge it.
This little drawing is the earliest I have found by Cora, signed with her maiden name Turner therefore it must date from before 1909.
Who Edith was I have no idea except that somehow she was connected with a long term friend of Cora's, one Dorothy Burden. (Any information on Dorothy Burden welcomed) |
Cora's early work in Paris pre 1914 tended towards the "exotic" as Jan once wrote.....
this one and the following have surfaced in something of a cluster over the last few years. This one is now living in Finland, [pic courtesy of the owner] and is dedicated to one Madame Waller. |
A very indistinct photo of a
painting on silk for a Fan. Cora is known to have painted and exhibited a number of these. Painted on silk from one of her old petticoats. I would like information on the whereabouts of this fan or contact with its owner believed to be somewhere in Norfolk. 
another poor repro due to my amateur photography, it is under broken glass hence the black arc bottom right. again dating pre 1914, and in the keeping of Cora's heirs. |
again a poor reproduction and one I have enhanced in order to show more detail.
Titled the Danse des Pantheres it was exhibited with similar at the Walker Art Gallery Liverpool about 1910 
I have found no art work by Cora Gordon that can be definitely tracked to her time in Serbia 1916, but the style of this one suggests to me that it might.
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this is a photo of an original of the tail piece to a chapter in the 'Luck of Thirteen'
The person depicted on the right is the late Dorothy Brindley . this sketch was last seen in her room shortly before she died, I would like to know where it is now. |
A bit of a jump in time from 1915 to 1920, This is a scene near Verdolay, in Murcia from their first Spanish trip.
I believe Cora talks about painting this very scene in the book. |
'La Rambla'
Still in Spain 1920, this oil by Cora was chosen for use in 'Colour' magazine in company with an article by Jan titled 'The Colour of Spain' The original of this work is in a private collection |
Najac,1923
a large oil. The woman feeding the geese is the late Madame Tressol who featured in the book 'Two Vagabonds in Languedoc' |
another view of Najac from the castle.
Here can be seen a certain development of a later style of painting by Cora. This work is in the collection of Edinburgh University fine art gallery, to whom I give thanks for its use 
Gjirokastra castle Albania 1925 |
also from Edinburgh is this work, tentatively labelled Italian hilltop but I am sure it is Najac, as I have no record of Cora visiting Italy other than when they passed through on the way home in 1915.
another large,3ftx 2ft oil painting of the impressive walled town of Obidos in Portugal.
dating from their second visit in1933 |
from the same 1933 Portugal visit,
the town of Mertola oil on hardboard, about 30 inch x 24 
'Mediterranean Rooftops' which I think is Portugal 1933 this one was unsold at a Salisbury auction house a couple of years ago, I would dearly love to know where it is now. I want it! |
rescued from behind a water tank in an attic in a very sorry state, labelled to the rear 'Spanish Canyon'
exhibited in a Daily Express Womens art exhibition. 
The next two paintings are a set of three from the same source , they feature the garden of the house of Cora's cousin GeraldineLoweth at Sao Thiago near Cintra where are they now? both oil on hardboard. |
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last of this set of three, this is Flatford Lock Essex, of Constable fame.
Jan and Cora used to teach there occasionally in the late 1930's |
Flatford lock once more.
Circa 1937 courtesy of Oldham art Gallery |
I love this one, A cafe scene ,somewhere in France,date and place unknown.
In a private collection, my thanks to its owner. |
Provencal Vineyard
oil another one I kick myself for missing at auction recently. thanks to its owner for permission to use here. |
simply titled 'The Paddock' I have no other information about this one.
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A rather sad one is this painting, titled "France as it was" I think it must date from the war years and nostalgia for their life in France. It is not known where the scene depicted is ,
Or if it is in fact a real place 
Flatford,Essex. once more.
A particular favourite of mine as it is the first Cora Gordon painting I found.,and whats more bought from a flat next door to where Cora stayed with a friend when they came back to London to get married, circa 193- oil on paper 
a nice one of Spain or Portugal, from the estate of their friend Netta Peacock.
courtesy of J Ansell.
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This is the reverse side of the painting left, Cora has reused this scene of her cousin's garden in Portugal.
However this same scene is used as a header in 'Portuguese Somersault' p.183 As the address written here is 48d Clanricarde gardens it therefore dates after 1942,they had to move from their next door flat because of bomb damage. 
A bit out of synch with the time-line a large 3'x3' oil titled
'In Catalunya' a place identification would be appreciated. |
Following on from here are some of Cora's Portraits, and other miscellaneous works. She was an accomplished portraitist, and had a brilliant technique of drawing on glossy paper with a fountain pen; in the 1930's she would spend hours in Hyde Park just drawing heads of character.
The Albanian series of heads were drawn as she rode horseback though the mountainous. They were washed with dilute honey as a fixative.
They are in no particular order, especially teh pen drawings as I am still discovering them.
The Albanian series of heads were drawn as she rode horseback though the mountainous. They were washed with dilute honey as a fixative.
They are in no particular order, especially teh pen drawings as I am still discovering them.
I have rarely been able to put a name to Cora's portraits, but this Albanian chap is identified as
"LYIK LUKA" our old chieftain. circa 1925 black chalk and oil on paper |
This is the medieval scholar and good friend of the Gordons
Robert Steele. In the possession of the Steele family. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Steele_%28medievalist%29 |
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unsure as to the identity of this chap but it looks like a very early version of Cora's signature
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Hat Booth Najac.
A retouched original of an illustration from the book. copy right of Art image direct who will be pleased to sell further copies of this and 4 Jan Gordon pictures from their stock of originals http://www.artimagedirect.com/ |
Pigs, cats and poultry were favourite subjects for Cora. These two appeared in Coterie Magazine circa 1920 |
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This little group are Cora Gordon's fountain pen drawings at which she was so skilled, done with a Waterman pen on shiny paper; of which examples in my possession are a bit like old fashioned Loo paper!! These, judging by the source from which they came, one of Cora's artist friends, are likely of London characters circa 1930s
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This guy also features in the Albania book and he was a genuine assassin.
This image saved from a old photocopy of a now lost postcard sent to one of Cora's friends. |
 A rare full figure study by Cora, posibly done later in her life as the lines do not seem so confident.
I wonder who George was?
this sketch was recently sold at auction in a job lot.
I would like to know where it is now
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Woodcuts are not a medium of Cora's, but this one of Sennen Cove Cornwall would date from 1919 as featured in 'The Apple of Beauty and Discord' 1920
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Titled 'Little Rembrandt' this fountain pen sketch was exhibited at a Womens International Art Club exhibition sometime in late 1940s, priced 4gns.
It was the very first art of Cora I bought back in 1984; and it later turned out to be of Jan Gordons godson,circa 192-, and was identified as such by the godson himself. A throughly decent man. Now sadly gone.
