Herbert James Gunn (1893-1964)

Portrait of Lady Joan Kitchen

This lovely British portrait oil painting is by noted portrait artist James Gunn. Painted circa 1940 it is a seated portrait of Lady Joan Kitchen who resided in Sussex. She is wearing a white capped sleeved dress, pearl broach, necklace and earrings. Her silver hair is back off her face. Her hands are clasped in her lap and she is smiling slightly at the artist/viewer. The colourful background is completely filled with white and pink rhododendrons. The details of her dress’ neckline and the brushwork on the flowers behind are superb. This is a lovely portrait of a handsome, confident woman, probably a keen gardener that she chose flowers rather than a lavish interior to demonstrate her status and wealth. This is also an excellent example of Gunn's portraits and his ability to capture his sitter's personality. 

Signed lower right.

Provenance Sussex estate. 

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https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/gallery/new/herbert-james-gunn/portrait-of-lady-joan-kitchen

Robert Walker Macbeth (1848-1910)

Portrait of Two Girls Stripping Willow

This lovely Scottish Victorian portrait oil painting is by noted artist Robert Walker Macbeth. Painted circa 1900 the composition is of two young women stripping willow beside a river bank. The girl on the left is standing and stripping the willow by hand. The girl on the right is seated and has an upright tool she is feeding the willow through to remove its bark, presumably for basket weaving at a later date. Their colourful clothing is in contrast to the green backdrop of trees behind them. This is a lovely pastoral oil painting with great detail and brushwork and a good example of Macbeth's work.

Signed lower right.

Provenance Title and details on two labels verso. 

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https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/gallery/new/macbeth-1/portrait-of-two-girls-stripping-willow
 

Sir Charles James Lawton Wingate (1846-1924)

Swans Nest Landscape

This lovely Scottish Victorian Impressionist landscape oil painting is by noted artist Sir Charles Lawton Wingate. It was painted in 1880 and exhibited 1882 at the Royal Academy London entitled A Swan's Nest Amongst the Reeds. The composition is a river landscape with two swans in the foreground, one on a nest on the edge of a reeded bank. There is a wooded landscape running along the edge of the river and the season looks to be early spring with some trees beginning to come in to leaf and others still bare. The reeds and bullrushes are still white from dying back in winter but there is some lovely vivid greens as well. There are beautiful reflections of the sky in the water and some great brushwork. This is a charming Scottish Impressionist 19th century oil painting and a lovely example of Wingate's work.
Signed lower. 

Provenance Exhibited: Royal Academy London, 1882 no. 727 entitled A Swan's Nest Amongst the Reeds.
                    Label verso.

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https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/gallery/new/sir-charles-james-lawton-wingate/swans-nest-landscape

Arthur Batt (1846-1911)

Portrait of Three Donkeys in a Landscape

This charming British Victorian donkey oil painting is by noted New Forest animal artist Arthur Batt. It was painted in 1894 and the setting will be around Lyndhurst in the New Forest where Batt lived and worked. The composition is of the heads of three donkeys as they feed on a gorse bush. It is entitled Old Friends and they do indeed look very relaxed with each other. There is a typical New Forest landscape beyond - a stretch of flat scrubland with more gorse and heather and white cattle grazing in the distance with the hazy New Forest trees beyond, all beneath a blue summers sky. The Donkeys, two light with a darker one in the middle, are beautifully portrayed with great detail and superb brushwork perfectly capturing their features. The gorse bush is a vivid green in the foreground and just coming into bloom. Batt clearly loved animals and one can just imagine the pleasure he got in wandering around the New Forest and painting these beautiful creatures in their natural setting. This is a lovely British Victorian animal oil painting and a great example of Batt's work.

Signed and dated (18) 94 lower right.

Provenance Frost and Reed label verso with title: Old friends - Three Donkeys Feeding on Gorse bush. 

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Walter Ernest Webster (1878-1959)

Portrait of a British Army Major General in Full Uniform

This superb British Impressionist Edwardian military portrait oil painting is by noted artist Walter Ernest Webster. Painted circa 1910 it is a seated generous half length portrait, semi profile, of a Major General in the British Army in full ceremonial uniform against a darker background. In one hand he holds his hat and in the other his white gloves and sword handle. His red uniform is decorated with numerous medals on the left and gold brocades hang down on the right. The red coat was phased out for practical reasons in favour of khaki in the second Boer war (1899-1902) but remains part of ceremonial uniforms for certain regiments and occasions. The Major carries himself with great dignity and his facial features are sympathetically portrayed. The brushwork and details are superb. This is a fantastic military portrait and an excellent example of Webster’s work.

Signed lower right.

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Walter Ernest Webster - Portrait of a British Army Major General in Full Uniform oil painting - Richard Taylor Fine Art