Matthew Smith Paintings for Sale1879-1959

Sir Matthew Smith was a British painter of nudes, still-life and landscape. Smith was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, in 1879. He turned to painting in his thirties and began to significantly develop his artistic style during the 1920s. Smith's first solo exhibition was at the Mayor Gallery in London in 1926, where he received early recognition from the art critic Roger Fry. 

Smith worked directly from life and rarely prepared preliminary sketches. Instead, his process often involved starting with a loose outline in thinned paint, which he would then use as a guide for the finished work. He painted a wide range of subjects, including still lifes, landscapes, figures, and nudes. His work is noted for its bold use of colour and line, artistic qualities that remained consistent throughout his career.

Smith studied design at the Manchester School of Art and at the Slade School of Art. Smith studied under Henri Matisse in Paris and acquired an interest in Fauvism. His style shows the influence of the Post-Impressionists, drawing especially on Cézanne's structure, Braque's form, and Bonnard's use of colour. Smith's work would influence later artists such as Patrick Heron's approach to painting. 

He married Gwen Salmond, though their relationship broke up when he entered into an affair with Vera Cunningham. Smith lived, worked, and exhibited in England and France.

During World War I, he was wounded at the Battle of Passchendaele. In 1949, Smith was awarded a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE). He was later knighted in 1954.

Collections include the Tate, Courtauld, London, as well as that of David Bowie.