‘I feel now more than ever, that there is only one kind of life worthwhile, and that is the life devoted without compromise to some good work or cause, and to me this is represented by painting.’ (Mark Gertler to Valentine Dobree, 12 February 1925... ) The Sonata, 1934 is one of several ‘neoclassical’ female figures painted by Gertler for his 1934 exhibition at the Leicester Galleries, London. In the run-up to the exhibition Gertler declared that these paintings, which explore the motif of femininity and music, were some of his most successful works, stating to Sidney Bernstein, ‘I feel the usual anxieties etc, but if it was anything like last time I shall be alright. I have confidence in this collection and I can’t help feeling they are the best lot I have so far produced.’... Indeed, Quentin Bell believed these works marked the culmination of Gertler’s artistic explorations, writing in 1965, ‘He was beginning to... (https://www.piano-nobile.com/artists/32-mark-gertler/works/1243/)