Arthur Royce Bradbury (1892-1977)
| Artist Name | Arthur Royce Bradbury (1892-1977) |
|---|---|
| Title | Portrait of a Scottish Girl |
| Description | This impressive British 1940's portrait oil painting is by noted artist Arthur Royce Bradbury. Painted in 1949 it is a half-length portrait of a young Scottish girl in a mountainous landscape. The low vantage point really emphasises her portrait with the mountains in the low distance. She is wearing a black coat with a lace scarf at her neck and a Glengarry hat. The Glengarry Hat is much more than a piece of clothing; it stands as a profound symbol of Scottish heritage. Proudly worn across generations, this iconic hat has become an emblem of tradition. The Ceremonial Glengarry Hat carries rich stories of the past, connecting wearers to their ancestors and the essence of Scotland itself. Her hat is decorated with black and white feathers and an emblem or badge. Her blonde hair is blowing in the breeze and she is gazing at the artist/viewer in a slightly profile position. In her left hand she is holding an oak leaf and acorn, signifying growth and strength. The detail in her face and blonde hair against the sky is just superb. This is a very impressive painting and an excellent example of Bradbury at his best and comparable to Gerald Leslie Brockhurst in his use of landscape as a backdrop which stems from Renaissance religious portraiture. Signed and dated '1949' lower left. |
| Provenance | Berkshire estate. |
| Medium | Oil on Canvas |
| Size | 25 x 30 inches |
| Frame | House in a gilt silvered frame. Framed size is 38 inches by 33 inches and in good condition. |
| Condition | Good condition. |
| Biography | Arthur Royce Bradbury (1892-1977) was born on the 17th September 1892 in Preston, Lancashire. He specialised in painting portraits, landscapes and marine scapes in oil, watercolour and pastel. He was also an accomplished etcher and teacher at the Pembroke Lodge School and Wimborne Grammar School. He studied at the St. John’s Wood School of Art before being accepted at the Royal Academy Schools. In 1913 he is recorded as living at Bournemouth, then Parkstone, Dorset in 1915 before finally settling in Poole for many years. He served as a cadet in Mercantile Marine serving for them on the West African trade route, before taking up art. It was then that he made several voyages on the barquentine ‘Waterwitch’ carrying coal and china clay from Cornish ports. The ‘Waterwitch’ was the last trading square rigger in British service at that time. He became an Associate of the Royal West of England Academy and exhibited there and widely elsewhere, mostly portraits. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1913 a work titled ‘Iris’ and went on to exhibit fourteen works there. Examples of his work may be seen at the Liverpool and Brighton Public Art Galleries.
Exhibited: 1906-1948: 52 Walker’s Gallery, London, 15 Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, 14 Royal Academy, 6 Royal Society of British Artists, 5 Royal Institute of Oil Painters, 1 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
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| Price | £18000 |
