The Wild Swans
(The Twelve Brothers Turned into Swans) 1928
I have always loved this painting at Birmingham Art Gallery and, after a recent trip there, researched its background, from a Hans Christian Andersen story.
The story tells of a king and queen who have 12 sons. The king is determined that the crown must pass to a daughter and if the queen gives birth to a girl he will have his sons executed. To protect them, the queen sends them to live deep in the forest where they find an old enchanted cottage. A daughter is born and is raised as a solitary child in the court. One day she finds 12 shirts in the palace laundry and asks her mother who they belong to. The queen confesses and tells her about her brothers and the threat to their lives. The princess, now aged 10, sets off to find them in the forest. She eventually discovers their cottage and goes in. Although the brothers had sworn to kill her if they ever met her, they are so touched by her kindness that they relent and ask her to join them in hiding. They all live happliy together until one day the princess unwittingly picks twelve magic lilies growing in the cottage garden. Her 12 brothers are immediately turned into swans and fly away. A witch appears and tells her that they cannot be changed back to human form unless she (the princess) remains silent for 7 years and knits 12 magic shirts for them made of nettles. She vows to do so and lives up a tree in a distant forest to avoid any temptation to speak. However, a young king out hunting with his courtiers sees her in the tree and is captivated by her beauty. They marry though she remains dumb and he does not know she is of noble birth. Her mother in law, who thinks her son has married beneath him conspires to accuse her of all kinds of crimes. Unable to speak up in her own defence she is soon condemned to burn at the stake. It is 7 years to the day when she is led to the stake and just as the fire is lit she sees twelve swans flying in formation above. They swoop down and scatter the burning twigs and free her from her bonds. She places a nettle shirt over each of them and she is joyfully reunited with her 12 brothers. At last she can speak and tells her husband who she is and of the wrongs done to her. The evil mother in law is boiled in oil and everyone lives happliy ever after. This painting illustrates the moment the princess is rescued! (Information from Birmingham Museums).
Arthur Joseph Gaskin RBSA (1862-1928) was an English illustrator, painter, teacher and designer of jewellery and enamelwork. Gaskin and his wife Georgie Gaskin were members of the Birmingham Group of Artist-Craftsmen, which sought to apply the principles of the Arts and Craftsmovement across the decorative arts. Like many of the group, Gaskin studied at the Birmingham School of Art under Edward R. Taylor and later taught there.
Continuing the birds in flight theme......
Stuart Maxwell Armfield (1916-2000) at Richard Taylor Fine Art
Seagulls
A superb, detailed and meticulous egg tempera oil on panel from around circa 1960 by Stuart Maxwell Armfield. The painting depicts a flock of seagulls in flight in a bold, strong and surreal colouring with sharp edges and fine lines. A really beautiful and unusual painting.
This absolutely lovely British Victorian oil painting is by noted Birmingham born artist James John Hill and has some excellent provenance below. The painting actually stayed in Birmingham for many years, hanging in Heathfield Hall, the former residence of inventor and engineer James Watt, but owned at that time by Thomas Pemberton. It then moved to Berwick House in Shropshire. Entitled The Gleaner and painted in1863, it is a charming half length portrait of a young woman with a sheaf of wheat under her arm. She is stood beneath trees and the wheat field is beyond. She is dressed in a lovely pink garment and wearing a brown felt hat, to shade her face from the sun, her dark hair cascading down her shoulder, The hat is decorated with a poppy. The soft tones and sympathetic rendering of the young woman make this a stunning 19th century oil painting with excellent provenance. The painting is housed in its original gilt frame with a beautiful oak leaf motif.
Signed and dated 1863 lower left.
Provenance Thomas Pemberton, Heathfield Hall, Handsworth, Birmingham.
(Heathfield Hall was the former residence of the inventor and engineer James Watt. Following his death the house had several occupiers including local luminaries Thomas Pemberton and George Tangye).
A few of our William Gear paintings to welcome in the week.
William Gear (1915-1997)
Paysage Printanier or Spring Passage
This stunning Scottish Abstract Expressionist oil painting is by noted Scottish artist William Gear. Painted in 1950 it is an early and significant painting which dates to the early part of his career. Entitled Paysage Printanier it was painted during Gear's time in Paris and involvement with Cobra and demonstrates the freedom and fluidity of that period. The vibrant green shapes with dramatic red and black suggest new life forcing upwards. A really pleasing composition to the eye and an excellent example of Gear's genius.
Signed and dated 50 lower right.
Provenance Signed and inscribed verso.
Christie's 2012 lot 347.
This superb Scottish abstract oil painting is by noted artist William Gear. It was painted in 1954, entitled Enigma 1 and is an orange geometric shape on a black background that blends into a black surround frame. There is heavy impasto blobs of red, green and blue down the centre of the orange that almost look like gems. It is very pleasing to the eye and an excellent example of Gear's work from that early period. It has exceptional provenance in that it was exhibited by Gimple Fils Galery in the fifties.
Signed titled and dated '54 verso.
Provenance The family of William Gear.
Gimpel Fils label verso.
This stunning Scottish Abstract Expressionist oil painting is by noted Scottish artist William Gear. Painted in 1949 it is an early and significant painting which dates to the early part of his career. Entitled Abstract Landscape with Red and Green it was painted during Gear's time in Paris and involvement with Cobra. Mostly red and green shapes are incased in black on a vivid yellow background. A really pleasing composition to the eye and perfectly housed in an ebonised frame, it is an excellent example of Gear's work.
Signed and Dated '49 lower right. Inscribed, titled and dated verso.
This lovely Scottish exhibited seascape oil painting is by noted Scottish artist Patrick Downie. It was painted in 1914 and exhibited at the Glasgow Institute of Fine art that year entitled A Summer Afternoon - Firth of Clyde. The composition is a coastal scene with several figures of bathers and children playing on rocks on the shoreline. The Firth of Clyde is the mouth of the river Clyde, located on the west coast of Scotland. The sunlight on the water is superb as it illuminates the scene. The brushwork on the water and clouds are also fantastic. A really lovely Scottish 1914 coastal seascape with excellent provenance and a superb example of Downie's work.
Signed lower left.
Provenance Exhibited; Glasgow Institute of Fine Art, 1914 no. 208 entitled A Summer Afternoon - Firth of Clyde.
Spring is on the way! The garden is coming to life, the hens are laying and we feel like floral paintings today. Think you'll love these two by Jacques Emile Blanche. Contact us if you would like more information - info@richardtaylorfineart.com
Jacques-Emile Blanche (1861-1942)
Impressionist Floral Bouquet
This superb Edwardian floral oil painting is by noted French Impressionist artist Jacques-Emile Blanche. From 1884 Blanche spent a lot of time in England and regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy. Painted circa 1910 the composition is a stunning Impressionist painting depicting a vast mixed floral bouquet in a vibrant blue vase on a table. Included in the floral arrangement are white and yellow dahlias, blue cornflowers and orange crocosmia. The brushwork and heavy impasto are superb. An incredible painting with a stunning wide palette of blues to oranges and an excellent example of Blanche’s work.
This vibrant French Art Deco floral oil painting is by noted French artist Jacques Emile Blanche. Painted circa 1930, the palette is of wonderful tones of yellow and orange with splashes of green and typical Blanche heavy impasto. The composition is a floral bouquet consisting of sunflowers, red hot pokers and dahlias against an orange and gold background and in a stunning black and gold vase. This is an excellent radiant example of Blanche's work and a good size.
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