This stunning much exhibited 1920's Scottish portrait oil painting is by noted Glasgow Girl artist Norah Neilson Gray. Painted circa 1923, the model for the painting was Rita McIlraith but the artist did not want to use her name in the title and it was called 'Exotic.'
Norah Neilson Gray was a Scottish artist known for her striking portraits and remarkable ability to capture the essence of the sitter. She achieved international status and recognition during her lifetime, and was one of the most esteemed female painters of the early twentieth century. She was a member of The Glasgow Girls, a group of women artists and designers active in Glasgow at the turn of the twentieth century. The group including Margaret and Frances MacDonald, Jessie M. King, Annie French, Helen Paxton Brown, Jessie Wylie Newbery, Ann Macbeth, Bessie MacNicol, Norah Neilson Gray, Stansmore Dean, Eleanor Allen Moore, De Courcy Lewthwaite Dewar, the silversmith Agnes Banks Harvey and Christian Jane Fergusson. Their paintings including Exotic were exhibited in Kirkcudbright in July and August 2010. The painting is a seated portrait of Rita McIIraith, sat in the lotus position in a meditative pose, gazing serenely before her. She is wearing a fabulous orange and floral off the shoulder dress and in her arms are yellow and white flowers. The heavy impasto and vibrant colours are superb. A stunning oil painting by an incredibly talented Scottish female artist whose works are in numerous international museums. Signed upper right.
Provenance Exhibited: Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts 1924, no.283, Ill.48
Exhibited the Royal Scottish Academy 1925, No. 374, entitled Exotic.
Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow Girls - Women in Art and Design 1880-1920, 1990-91, Illustrated fig. 315.
Glasgow Girls: Artists and Designers 1890-1930. Illustrated on page 52, Mr John W D Thomson.
Exhibited in Kirkcudbright in July and August 2010.
Italiante Mountainous River Landscape with Hill Top Town.
This stunning French 19th century landscape is by acclaimed Neo Claissical French artist Jean Victor Bertin. He was also an early proponent of sketching out doors and direct observation in order to replicate nature later in studio paintings. This superb painting of great historical interest is of a mountainous river landscape. Central is a hill top town and figures and a cart are in the foreground. A stunning painting. His works are housed in all the major art collections worldwide including The National Gallery, The Scottish National Gallery. The Louvre and the National Gallery Washington.
Signed and dated 1827 lower right.
Provenance. Anonymous sale, Sotheby's, New York, 28 January 2000, Lot 108.
Christie's, London, Old Master Pictures, 27 April 2007, Lot 119. Acquired from the above by Lord Wraxall.
This is one of our all time favourite Old Master landscapes with fantastic detail and light. One can imagine Bertin sat there in the fresh air capturing this beautiful scene.
The Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine and Putti
This stunning Italian 17th century Old Master religious oil painting is by Baroque artist Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chari. Painted circa 1684 it is a large and vibrant oil painting of the Madonna and child. To their left is Saint Catherine and to their right four putti or cherubs look upon a sleeping Jesus. The detail in all the figures faces and hair and the colouring is just superb, especially the Madonna's sumptuous blue robe. A really fabulous 17th century religious work with previous full attribution and excellent provenance which was once attribted to Carlo Maratta (1625-1713).
Provenance With Vangelisti, Lucca, Italy, 1966, from whom acquired by the family of the previous owner, and thence by descent.
Red seal stamp verso
Christies April 15th 1912
Christies March 23 1956
This superb, large British Victorian oil painting is by noted Newlyn and Menton artist Arthur Alfred Burrington. It was painted circa 1890 when Burrington was most likely in Newlyn, having been encouraged to visit by his good friend Stanhope Forbes. The setting is a school interior where several children of a variety of ages have abandoned their books and teacher at the table to watch a Punch and Judy show through the window. The scene is painted in the muted palette of the Newlyn School with wonderful use of light, particularly on the table and through the window. A lovely Newlyn school painting with great detail and colouring and an excellent example of Burrington's work from that period. Signed lower right.
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
By clicking "Accept All" you agree to the use of analytical cookies that we use on our website to measure usage. These cookies provide information that will help us to improve our site and enhance user experience. By clicking "Manage Preferences", you can manage your consent and find out more about the cookies we use.
Manage your privacy preferences
These are functional cookies needed to keep our website working properly and give you the best experience when visiting our website.
We collect information about how visitors use our website. The information is in aggregate form and counts visitor numbers and other information to help us improve our website.
These cookies ensure that, if applicable, any adverts are properly displayed and targeted based on your browsing. They may also be used to integrate social media on our site.
We may use assets from 3rd parties on our website, for example, Google fonts, which enhance your viewing and visual experience.
