Joan Eardley - (1921-1963) Birmingham Art Gallery

Winter Sun No. 1 1961-2

Joan Eardley spent her early career in Galsgow but became drawn to the north east coast of Scotland, especially the fishing village of Catterline. She painted it again and again, worling outdoors in all weathers. This picture shows cottages with washing hanging out to dry. Eardley bought a cottage on the cliff edge with no water or electricty as a place to love and paint. When she died, aged only 42, her ashes were scattered on the beach at Catterline. 


Although Eardley did a large number of portraits, especially of children in Glasgow, I much prefer her landscapes. However, Pauline Glass has been compared to Eardley and the portrait 
we have below is a favourite. 














Pauline Glass (1908-1992)  Richard Taylor Fine Art

Portrait of a Lady in Yellow

This is a  superb portrait oil painting on panel by British artist Pauline Glass. She was a Birmingham born artist who studied at the world famous Juliens Art Academy, Brussels, Belgium and at at the Birmingham College of Art. She was a member of the RBS and exhibited throughout her life including at the Society of Women Artists, The Royal Academy and at the prestigious New England Art Club. She lived and worked in the Birmingham area all her life.

This stunning oil is a bold, adventurous and confident portrait of a woman by a very talented British listed female artist. Comparisons with Joan Eardley and Anne Redpath are not far away and this is an expressive delight. Painted circa 1955 and in fine gallery condition, it has been an exhibited work and retains the exhibition transit labels verso. Reminds me of the Impressionist paintings of Raoul Dufy.

Provenance. Family estate. 

Click the link below for more details on this painting. 
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/artist/pauline-glass/portrait-of-a-lady-in-yellow-3

Claudio Coello (1642-1693)

Portrait of a Spanish Noble Lady

This stunning, large portrait oil painting is attributed to Spanish Old Master Claudio Coello who is considered the last great Spanish painter of the 17th century. It has formerly been the property of Lady Beatrice in Sidmouth and is labelled verso. Painted circa 1680, the portrait is three quarter length and is of a young noble woman in a very sumptuous, ornate red dress with bows, beads, jewels, lace and heavy embroidery on it as well as red and white feathers coming from her hair. One hand is by her chest and the other reaches out to, maybe, a purse on a table, very similar to her earrings. Next to that is a bound red book and beneath that one can clearly see sheet music. Perhaps this is to indicate her love of music or singing. She gazes straight at the artist/viewer in a very confident manner, sure of her place in the world. The details and colouring are just superb, given the painting is from the 17th century and this is a rather special Spanish Old Master portrait.

Unsigned. 
 
Provenance Labelled verso, 'Portrait by Coello, Property of Lady Beatrice K??, Colematon Cottage, Sidmouth'

Click below for link to this painting
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/gallery/new/coello/portrait-of-a-spanish-noble-lady

Aubrey Williams (1926-1990)

Pelican

This beautiful large vibrant animal painting is by Aubrey Williams, Guyanese artist. It is a watercolour/gouache painting of a magnificent Pelican and painted in 1974. Williams has recently been reassessed by the Tate and Manchester Art Galleries and been the subject of television documentaries. He was best known for his large, oil-on-canvas paintings, which combine elements of abstract expressionism with forms, images and symbols inspired by the pre-Columbian art of indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Pelicans are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterised by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before swallowing. They have predominantly pale plumage, the exceptions being the brown and Peruvian pelicans. The bills, pouches, and bare facial skin of all species become brightly coloured before the breeding season.

Titled lower left and signed and dated lower right.

Provenance Sussex estate.

Click the link below for this painting
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/gallery/animals-dogs/aubrey-williams/pelican

Jean Victor Bertin (1767-1842)

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.

Click the likn below for this painting
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/artist/bertin/italiante-mountainous-river-landscape-with-hill-top-town

Jacob Epstein (1880-1959)

Kathleen, bronze 1935 at Bristol Art Gallery


We recently visited Bristol Art Gallery and saw this statue of Kathleen, Epstein's second wife worked in 1935. This is the fifth of seven portrait statues of her that Epstein made and we have the second, completed in 1922, thirteen years earlier. Epstein met Kathleen Garman (1901-1979) at the Harelquin Club in 1921 and she posed for him the next day. She became his lover and later his wife. The Bristol statue is based on Renaissance artist Verrocchio's Portrait of a Lady in Florence. It reveals Epstein's fascination with historic European art as well as wider global art forms.

Epstein described the process of making in his book Let There Be Sculpture ...a quartet of harmonies, ...head, shoulders, body and hands, like music. 










Jacob Epstein (1880-1959)

Second Portrait of Kathleen 1922 at Richard Taylor Fine Art

This stunning British bronze sculpture is by world famous sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein. It was conceived in 1922 and is the second portrait of Kathleen Garman (1901-1979), Epstein's lover then later second wife (in 1955 after his first wife Margaret's death) and mother of three of his children. It was made the year after they began a relationship and Kathleen was Epstein's model and mistress. His first wife, Margaret, tolerated Epstein's affairs and even raised his two other children but in 1923, Margaret invited Kathleen to her house and shot her in the shoulder with a pearl-handled pistol. Epstein paid Kathleen's hospital bills and persuaded her not to press charges against Margaret, lest it erupt into a public scandal. This beautiful bronze work depicts Kathleen, mouth open, looking directly at Epstein and the viewer, her hair flowing down behind her shoulders. The green patina is stunning and the carving true to the material. There is another sculpture of Kathleen much later in 1935 now at Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. This is a superb sculpture and an excellent example of Epstein's work, especially in relation to Kathleen at the beginning of a lifelong love.

Signed to sitter's left shoulder

Provenance Sale, Sotheby's, London, 9 July 1969, lot 105.

Click the link below for more details of this work. 
https://www.richardtaylorfineart.com/artist/epstein/second-portrait-of-kathleen-1922