Enid Hay was the wife of James Hamilton Hay from Birkenhead and is probably best known as the subject for his Whistler-like painting ‘The lady in the Japanese gown’ in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
This painting shows an understanding of the Post-Impressionists before their work had been widely seen in Britain. It was almost certainly exhibited in Liverpool at the Sandon Studios Society, which in 1911 hosted the first Roger Fry-inspired Post-Impressionist exhibition in Britain outside London. The Williamson has 30 works by James Hamilton Hay and it will be useful and instructive to show Enid's work against his.
Provenance
Private collector; Halls Auction House, Shrewsbury, 1994; Ian Kay; HallÂ’s Auction House; Paul Liss; private collector, Toronto; Paul Liss.