Large oil painting of a theatre by Henry Ball 1894-1966

A superb oil on canvas of a theatre during a performance, by the artist Henry Ball (1894-1966). The painting is of a very large size and wonderfully depicts a a theatre interior mid-performance. The artist would have been sitting in the balcony and the view shows the audience watching the performance as well as the brightly lit stage and lighting around the theatre. The technique uses thick paint worked in broad brushstrokes in a typically mid-century style. The work is signed and dated to the lower left: Henry Ball 1959. Henry Ball (1894-1966) was born and lived in Nottingham. He studied at Nottingham Art College before being called up for WW1 which he did survive and became a prominent artist in the city. Ball painted chiefly in oils with subjects including landscapes, allegorical works and portraits. He received many commissions from Nottingham city patrons and exhibited almost exclusively in the city art gallery culminating in 55 works displayed and a posthumous retrospective exhibition there in 1967. He was also an associate member of the Royal College of Art, a finalist in the Prix de Rome Scholarships in 1922 for a work titled ‘The Brazen Serpent’ which was also exhibited at The Royal Academy. His work is bold, colourful and rarely comes to the market. This piece is a first-class example of his work and is in excellent condition. The painting is framed in a modern gilt frame which works very well with the piece. The whole is a fabulous painting, of an interesting and decorative subject.
Overall sizes in inches including frame: 47 by 38