William Roberts

The Lake

1964

© The estate of William Roberts

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Not on display

Artist: William Roberts 1895–1980
Medium: Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions: Support: 1905 × 1295 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Presented by the Trustees of the Chantrey Bequest 1964
Reference: T00660

Display caption

Roberts often drew inspiration for figure compositions from the areas of London where he lived. Between 1946/7 and 1980 he lived in St Mark's Crescent, near Regent's Park. Here, especially on Sundays and bank holidays, the artist observed people engaged in leisure activities on and around the lake. The importance to Roberts of the relationship between figures and narrative can be gleaned in his 'Comments', (June 1964): 'Several years ago there was an advertisement that appeared in the newspapers that impressed me very much; it showed a man bending forward and clutching his back with one hand in a sudden gesture of agony; beneath the design were the words: Every picture tells a story.'

Gallery label, August 2004

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Catalogue entry

William Roberts b. 1895

T00660 The Lake 1964

Inscr. ‘William Roberts’ b.r.
Canvas, 75 x 51 (190.5 x 129.5).
Chantrey Purchase from the artist 1964.
Exh: R.A., 1964 (105).
Repr: R.A. Illustrated, 1964, p. 37; William Roberts, Paintings and Drawings 1909–1964, 1964, p. 32.

Partly inspired, like a number of Roberts’s other works, by the lake in Regent’s Park.

Published in The Tate Gallery Report 1964–1965, London 1966.