This stunning British 18th century Old Master portrait oil painting, with exceptional provenance, is by noted artist George Romney. It was painted in 1788, commissioned by James Evelyn of Felbridge as it is of his younger daughter Anne, aged 20 years old. James was a Doctor of Law and Anne's mother was his second wife, Jane. Felbridge house, Anne's home, was in the village of Godstone in Surrey. This superb oil painting is a seated portrait of Anne, wearing a white dress with a green sash, her forearms exposed and her hands in her lap. Anne is blessed with the most wonderful long auburn curly hair and is visually stunning. Her body is partly turned away from the artist/viewer and she is slightly gazing down at us with confident, clear eyes. Anne is pictured in a landscape with a dramatic sky behind her. Romney's brushwork on her dress, hair and the background is superb. The delicate detailing of her facial features is also stunning. Sometimes Old Master portraits can be a little staid, but this one of Anne with her wild auburn hair and bold look is just magnificent. This is a fantastic example of George Romney's work and of an 18th century British Old Master with exceptional detailed provenance.
Name plate states: Anne, younger daughter of James Evelyn of Fellbridge Esq. 1788, aged 20. Romney.
Provenance. With Charles Cecil Cope Jenkinson, 3rd Earl of Liverpool (1784-1851)
With The Hon. Henry Berkeley Portman (1860-1923),
Later 3rd Viscount Portman; with Emma, Viscountess Portman (1862-1929)
By 1926; with her daughter Lady Moyra Dawson-Damer (1897-1962)
Thence by family descent.
Painted in 1788. There are various labels verso.
Mentioned in Lord Hawkesbury's Catalogues of Portraits at Compton Place and at Buxted Park, in Sussex, 1903, p.18, no. 3, at Buxted Park, as in the 'Dining Room, South Wall'.
Further Bibliography:Gower (R. S.) Romney, London, 1904, p. 175 Kidson (Alex) George Romney, A Complete Catalogue of his Paintings, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2015, I, p. 205, no. 422 (illus).Ward (Humphrey) and Roberts (William) Romney: A Biographical and Critical Essay, London: T Agnew & Sons, 1904, p. 51
We absolutely love this superb Scottish Impressionist Royal Academy exhibited landscape oil painting is by noted Scottish Glasgow Boy artist George Henry. He influenced the Glasgow School towards a richer more vibrant use of colour as can be seen in this painting. Painted in 1932, it was exhibited at the Royal Academy, London in 1933, entitled Chanctonbury Ring. The location is the well known landmark, Chanctonbury Ring, at the top of Chanctonbury Hill in Sussex. The landscape has tremendous depth and scale to it as one's eye is drawn across the fields and vivid blue river in the foreground, to the cows grazing before the colourful tree line and then up to the copper beech trees crowning the hill beneath a blue sky. The depiction of shadow and light on the field and hills is also superb. This is an excellent example of a Scottish Glasgow Boy painting with excellent provenance and has a wonderful tranquillity and spaciousness about it. Signed and dated 1932.
Provenance Exhibited at the Royal Academy London in 1933 no. 157 and entitled Chanctonbury Ring. Illustrated on page 89 of the Royal Academy Illustrated guide.
Why not grab a cuppa and have a browse below for more details, scottish art and more landscapes.
We at Richard Taylor Fine Art would like to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2025. Let's hope it's a good one for us all.
To start the new year off we have three of our favourites for you:
George Henry (1858-1943). Chanctonbury Ring - a superb Scottish Impressionist Royal Academy exhibited landscape oil painting by a noted Glasgow Boy artist, painted in 1932.
Norah Neilson Gray (1882-1931). Exotic - This stunning much exhibited 1920's Scottish portrait oil painting is by a noted Glasgow Girl artist. Painted circa 1923, the model for the painting was Rita McIlraith but the artist did not want to use her name in the title so it was called 'Exotic.'
Harold Harvey (1874-1941). Cornish Family in an Interior. A lovely figurative interior oil painting by a noted Newlyn School artist, painted circa 1912 and bathed in morning light.
Why not grab a cuppa, relax and browse our website for more beautiful paintings that could grace your walls this year. Hyper links below.
George Spencer Watson ROI, ARA, RA (1869-1934)
My Lady of the Rose - Portrait of Hilda, the Artist's Wife.
This superb British exhibited portrait oil painting is by noted artist George Spencer Watson. The influence of Lord Frederick Leighton and the Italian Renaissance can easily be seen. Entitled My Lady of the Rose, the sitter is his much loved wife, Hilda Gardiner. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy London in 1911 and has been handed down through the family. Watson also painted Hilda's two sisters, Elsie and Lillian and the family likeness is apparent. Known affectionately as 'Ginger', Hilda was a classical violinist trained in Europe. As a dancer and mime artist, Hilda was heavily influenced by the free form Greek style of Loie Fuller and Isadora Duncan. Her passion for dancing continued until the end of her life. She regularly organised and took part in performances both in London and later in the theatre that she built at Dunshay Manor, the Spencer Watsons's home on the Isle of Purbeck. The symbolic title for the portrait 'My Lady of the Rose' reflects the artist's deep reverence for Hilda. The symbolism of the Rose as a symbol of love but also of new beginnings, an appropriate theme for the portrait painted in 1909, to celebrate his marriage to the sitter. The figures in the background perhaps reflect both the sitter and artist's interest in mythology and the arts. A winged figure fires an arrow which strikes another figure on whose belt the artist has signed his initials. The vibrant blues and reds and the fantastic brushwork and delicate detail in Hilda's face make this a stunning, deeply personal portrait of a much loved wife. Signed GSW upper right.
Provenance. The Royal Academy, 1911 no.368 entitled My Lady of the Rose.
Bermondsey Settlement Picture Exhibition, 1913, label verso.
Dresden exhibition label verso.
William Harold Gardiner, ; Joan Gardiner (in Australia); Robin Tassell, of Dovehouse Stanwick, Northants;
Richard Thompson & Mary Spencer Watson; Thence by descent.
It's actually quite hard to pick a Painting of the Week, especially the first one, when we have so many lovely paintings to choose from. But this gorgeous romatic portrait of Watson's wife Hilda, My Lady of the Rose, is rather special. The colours zing off the canvas and the details are just superb. We also have the portraits mentioned above of Hilda's sisters, Lilian and Elsie on our website. Why not grab a coffee, have a break and have a browse through the website galleries.
Charles Burton Barber (1845-1894). Sisters of Charity.
We at Richard Taylor Fine Art would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a healthy and happy 2024.
The above British Victorian exhibited painting seems the perfect Christmas image and we just love it. It's unashamedly sentimental and just gorgeous. Barber often painted children and dogs so this is a little bit different and just perfect for this time of year. It was painted by Barber in 1871 and exhibited at the Royal Academy that year. Have a look at our latest stock in https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/gallery/new and you'll find this painting and many other lovely paintings to while away some time between eating and more eating over christmas. Why not treat yourself to start the new year off on a good note.
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