As the authors of the only significant book (out of print) on Harold Harvey acknowledge, very little is known about him. We have the bare facts: he made his living though his painting, was married to Gertrude who was a frequent model, talented gardener and painter, and they didn't have children. He exhibited in London, but appears to have been averse to publicity, reluctant to be associated with any artistic group, quiet, and respectable. It is, of course, a similar story with many of our writers and in the end the work speaks for its creator, something of a relief in this age of information overload. So we can construct our own narratives around his marvellous paintings such as this, My Kitchen (1923, Gallery Oldham), which is as good as any C17 Dutch interior.