Dorothy Johnstone (1892-1980)

Portrait of Elspeth

This superb Scottish Impressionist exhibited portrait oil painting with excellent provenance is by noted Edinburgh female artist Dorothy Johnstone. Painted in 1958, it was exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy that year and much later, in 1967, at the Royal Society Exhibition.  Dorothy Johnstone, with her close friends Cecile Walton and Mary Newbery, was a member of The Edinburgh School, which reformed in 1919, a collective of gifted and progressive artists associated with the Edinburgh College of Art. From the summer of 1915, she became a regular annual visitor to Kirkcudbright in Galloway, where she would paint with other mainly female artists including Jessie M. King as part of the Kirkcudbright School. This superb portrait was painted in 1958 and the sitter is Elspeth. She is seated, arms resting in her lap and gazing to her right and smiling slightly. She is wearing a black, brown and silver stripped dress and a large silver cross on a chain. Beside her is a small table and vase and a curtain behind her. The contrast of her skin against the darker material is very effective and the details in her face are lovely. This is a super 1950's Scottish exhibited painting and an excellent example of Johnstone's work.

Signed and dated 1958 lower left.

Provenance Exhibited Royal Scottish Academy 1958 no. 118 entitled Elspeth.
                    Royal Society Exhibition 1967 label and artists labels verso.
                    James Bourlet label verso.
                    By descent through the artist's family.

Click link below for Johnstone
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/gallery/new/johnstone/portrait-of-elspeth

Walter Langley (1852-1922)

The Evening of Life - Interior Portrait.

This stunning, large British Edwardian Newlyn School interior portrait oil painting is by much noted and exhibited artist Walter Langley. Originally from Birmingham, Langley and his family moved to St Ives in 1881. He was one of the first artists to settle and painted the local fishermen and their families. Painted in 1906 and entitled The Evening of Life, the painting is a full length seated portrait of an elderly lady in a cottage interior. She is sat by a table on which she has a bible, jug of flowers and her sewing equipment. Across her lap she has a large patchwork quilt to mend but is lost in thought. In fact the same sitter and quilt can be seen in Memories, also painted in 1906 and in the Ferens Art Gallery, Hull.  Memories includes more of the cottage interior but the sitter's head is bowed towards her hands. The Evening of Life is more vibrant and the sitters face is much more visible as are the lovely colours of the quilt. The painting has fantastic detail, great brushwork and the Newlyn school palette of colours. The provenance is excellent, having been kept in the same family ownership so fresh to market. The painting appeared in the artist's catalogue Raisonne and was also in 1997 biography by Langely's grandson, Roger Langley, entitled Walter Langley: Pioneer of the Newlyn Art Colony. This a superb example of Langley's work, a good size and composition and a pleasure to gaze upon. 
Signed lower left and dated (19)06.

Provenance Ford, 1906 (£63).
                    Long in the previous family ownership and sold by the executors of the estate.
                   Thomas Wood and Sons label verso. 

Literature: Langley (R) - Walter Langley Pioneer of the Newlyn Art Colony 1997, catalogue raisonne p.170 (under 1906).  

Click below for Langley
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/artist/walter-langley/the-evening-of-life---interior-portrait

Anti Money Laundering, AML and AMP's simply explained. 


Fine Arts Investment Ltd (trading as Richard Taylor Fine Art or RTFA) must comply with and operate under certain laws in relation to anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and we take this very seriously.

1. Anti Money Laundering (AML) regulations for buying art

If you buy a painting (or paintings) totalling over 10,000 euros, or the equivalent in another currency (about £8600 GBP July 2025), we have to ask you for identifcation documents. This is to verify your identity as part of our Customer Due Diligence (CDD). We have to comply with Anti Money Laundering 5 (AML5) regulations (2020) under the law, as the art market is now one of the regulated sectors with regard to money laundering. Non-compliance puts the business at risk of being exploited and can result in criminal prosecution by HMRC.

2. What is an Art Market Participant (AMP)?

Under AML 5 regulations, anyone who sells a painting over 10,000 euros by way of their business has to be registered as an Art Market Participant (AMP) and have AML supervision and training via HMRC. This includes art dealers and also auction houses.

Richard Taylor is therefore registered with HMRC as an AMP, as Fine Arts Investment Ltd. 

3. If you are another art dealer, intermediary for a customer or similar, and are buying a painting(s) from us over 10,000 euros, then you also need to be registered as an AMP with HMRC for AML supervision, in order for us to be able to do business. Checks can be made on the GOV.UK website. (Asking if you are an AMP and your registered name needs to be one of our first questions for transactions with another art dealer over 10,000 euros, as we simply cannot proceed under law if you are not an AMP).  

4. If you are a private customer you do not need to be registered as an AMP or with AML 5.  
 
5. What ID documents do I need to send as a private customer?

For transactions over 10,000 euros, the documents we have to ask for, before the transaction can be completed, are basically to verify your identity - that you are who you say you are and live where you say you live. This is especially important with on-line sales as we haven't met face to face.

So we need, under law:

Photo ID such as a current passport or driving licence 
Proof of your main residential address - a recent utility bill and/or bank statement with your name and address on. 

6. How do I send documents securely?

We will send you a link with Richard Taylor Fine Art logo on and the documents are sent securely via the Arcarta platform. (Arcarta is a digital platform that helps art businesses to comply and succeed with art market regulations (www.arcarta.com).

7. What happens to my documents? 

Your documents are stored securely on the Arcarta platform as part of of our Customer Due Diligence report. We must process the personal data in a lawful manner, as required by General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Legally, documents have to be kept for 5 years and are then destroyed.

If you are a customer and have any questions or concerns about the above, you can get in contact via info@richardtaylorfineart.com

 

Germain Fabius Brest (1832-1900)

Gondolas in a Venetian Canal

This fabulous vibrant French Victorian Venetian landscape oil painting is by noted artist Germain Fabius Brest. It was painted circa 1865 when Brest was painting classical Venetian scenes where great architecture is populated with vibrant figures. In this painting we have gondolas, bridges, people going about life, wonderful architecture and perspective, the play of light and shadows and all with great colouring beneath a vivid blue sky. This painting is a fantastic example of Brest's work and stands out amongst Victorian Venetian landscapes generally.

Signed lower right.

Provenance Christie's London.

Click below for link to painting
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/artist/brest/gondolas-in-a-venetian-canal

Helen Margaret MacKenzie (1888-1966)

Self Portrait with Cat

This stunning Scottish 1920's self portrait oil painting is by noted Scottish female artist Helen Mackenzie. Painted circa 1929 the composition is the head and shoulders of the artist looking at colourful flowers in a vase with a beautiful white cat stretched out on the back of the sofa behind her. She is wearing a white off the shoulder dress and clasping a pendant to her chest. The brushwork and heavy impasto are superb and this shows all the attributes of the Scottish School and Colourist tradition.
 
Signed lower right.

Provenance. Masons Yard Gallery 1971. 

Click below for link to painting
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/artist/helen-margaret-mackenzie/self-portrait-with-cat