Leon Underwood, British 1890-1975 - Venus of Lespugue; bronze on circular wooden base, inscribed in pencil on the base 'Venus of Lespugue Haute Garonne Palaeolithic', 17.5 x 8.4 x 7.5 cm (ARR) Provenance: private collection, gifted by the artist; thence by descent Note: the first owner of the work met the artist when he was stationed with the British Council in Sierra Leone during the Second World War. Underwood was sponsored by the British Council to undertake a lecture tour in 1944 in West African, due to his great interest in the traditional art of the region. Underwood was heavily influenced by pre-historic forms in his work and this work is based on the Palaeolithic, ivory sculpture discovered in the south of France in 1922. The exaggerated forms of this ancient artwork would also influence the work of Reg Butler. Please refer to department for condition report