Dame Miriam
Thence by family descent 

Michael Compton and Marco Livingstone, Tilson, L'Agrifoglio Editions, Milan, 1993, illustrated p.42.

The wooden construction is original, and all elements of the relief appear secure. There are some faint lines of craquelure in places, in line with the grain of the wood. There are some minor spots of staining scattered across the work, visible upon close inspection, and there is some light surface dirt in places. There may be one or two very small losses to the pigment at the vertical edges of the work, where the central wooden panel is joined to the edges of the work. There are some light knocks, scratches and minor losses to the wood some of which may be in keeping with the artist's working materials. Subject to the above, the work appears to be in good and original condition. Ultraviolet light reveals some fluorescence which is thought to be in keeping with the artist's materials. Please contact the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Born in 1908 in Ashton, Northamptonshire, the Hon. Dame Miriam’s life was profoundly influenced by the entomological and conservation work of her father, the Hon. Charles Rothschild, as well as by the zoological pursuits of her uncle Lionel Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild. Despite (compared to her peers), a relative lack of formal education, she was an intellectual gadfly and polymath, becoming a leading authority on parasitism and gaining several honorary doctorates and degrees from universities including both Cambridge and Oxford, where she was, during the 1960s, a member of the genetics school. Dr Rothschild was also interested in the links between art and science, promoting art’s therapeutic capacities for the treatment of mental illnesses. From 1983-1987 she placed The Adamson Collection of artworks by patients living with major mental health issues such as schizophrenia (another issue she had put her considerable energies towards from the 1960s) on public display at the family estate at Ashton.

The Hon. Dame Miriam was part of a small band of British collectors who supporteꦓd the new wave of young artists emerging in the early 1960s, artists such as Joe Tilson, who had recently graduated from the Royal College of Art alongside Peter Blake, R.B. Kitaj, Allen Jones, David Hockney and Patrick Caulfield. Drawing on influences from popular culture, this young cohort produced art which was exciting, challenging and unprecedented, forging a new aesthetic language that eschewed traditional art historical precedent, creating an art which was both for and of its time.