Property from the Family of Fred Uhlman Fred Uhlman (British, 1901-1985) The Lobster signed 'UHLMAN' (lower right); titled 'THE LOBSTER' (on Artist's label attached to canvas verso) oil on canvas 61 x 91.5cm (24 x 36in). (unframed) Provenance The Artist, and thence by family descent Private Collection, U.K. Offered directly from the artist's family, the following eleven lots demonstrate the exceptional breadth and versatility of Fred Uhlman (1901–1985). This curated group spans his rare 1930s still lifes from Tossa de Mar, his iconic, atmospheric depictions of Welsh slate mines, and the vivid, colour-drenched skies characteristic of works like Green Sky (Lot 149) and The Red Sailing Boat (Lot 151). Deeply sensitive to the changing light of evening and night, Uhlman's work remains a profound exploration of colour, often bordering 'dreamlike' depictions of the landscapes around him. Uhlman's artistic achievements are all the more remarkable given his turbulent early life. Born in Stuttgart, he earned a doctorate in law in 1923 and served as the official legal representative for the Social Democratic Party. Forced to flee Nazi Germany for Paris in 1933, he was unable to practice law and turned instead to painting, encouraged by his cousin, Paul Elsas and art historian, Paul Westheim. By April 1936, Uhlman had relocated to the Spanish fishing village of Tossa de Mar, where he met his future wife, Diana Croft. Lot 146 features two rare, early still lifes from this pivotal Mediterranean interlude. It was also later this year that Uhlman held his first solo exhibition at the Galerie Le Niveau in Paris. Emigrating to Britain later in 1936, Fred and Diana married, moving in 1938 to 47 Downshire Hill, Hampstead, which became a legendary sanctuary for fellow refugee artists, including photomontage pioneer John Heartfield. The couple helped co-found the Artists' Refugee Committee, and Uhlman served as the first Chairman of the Free German League of Culture, all while establishing his British artistic reputation with a 1938 debut at the Zwemmer Gallery. Despite his anti-Nazi stance, the outbreak of the Second World War saw Uhlman interned as an 'enemy alien' at Hutchinson Camp on the Isle of Man. During the six months the artist was held here, he produced a selection of poignant drawings, which Jonathan Cape later published in 1946, titled Captivity. In his later years, Uhlman achieved widespread literary acclaim, publishing his autobiography, The Making of an Englishman (1960), and his semi- autobiographical novella, Reunion (1971), which was later adapted for the screen by Harold Pinter and stage by Ronan Wilmot.