Portrait of a Cockerel in a Barn
This absolutely lovely Scottish oil painting is by noted animal artist Andrew Law. Painted circa 1920, the composition is of a cockerel in a barn, stood by an empty silver dish. This handsome fella is a Rhode Island Red, like in the old Kellog’s advert. His large red comb and wattles are magnificent. His plumage is beautifully depicted with the dark curly feathers of his tail and some iridescent green feathers under the bright orange on his back and more golden feathers on his shoulders. One can clearly see his spurs on his legs and the detail of the scales. His colours stand out beautifully against the dark of the barn and in contrast to the smooth, shiny surface of his food dish. If you like cockerels this is for you, a super Scottish animal oil painting and an excellent example of Law's work. It was an exhibited work at Glasgows Paisley Art Institute.
This very sweet girl is Sunny, one of our rescue chickens that sadly passed away on 24th October. She came to us in July 2024 with 4 of her sisters, having been rescued from slaughter at just 17 months old by the organisation Fresh Start For Hens. So she had 15 months of freedom - feeling the grass beneath her feet and the sun on her back and knowing only kindness and love. She goes to join Olive, who passed in May and leaves behind Rosie, Berry, and Toffee from the original flock and Honey, Daisy and Penny, who joined us in July. Fly high sweet Sunny.
This stunning Impressionist farm landscape oil painting is by one of the leading American Impressionist artists, William Samuel Horton. Horton moved to England in1918 and travelled extensively in Europe and later Asia. His paintings show the influences of the French Impressionists as whilst studying in Paris Horton befriended and worked closely alongside some of the leading Impressionist artists including Whistler, Pissarro, Degas and Monet. Painted circa 1910, the composition is cattle in a snowy landscape in front of a farm. It is early morning and the sky is a blaze of colours, reflected in the water in the foreground. The sky absolutely steals the show with its vibrancy forming an arc over the darker buildings and cattle . The impressionistic brushwork is superb and this is an excellent example of Horton's work from that period and the influence of the French Impressionists. The painting has been exhibited at The Art Institute in Chicago as well French dealers.
Signed lower left.
Provenance. Art Institute of Chicago labels verso.
Doumaves Francaises. Service des Expositions Paris
Galerie Charpentier. Label Verso.
James Bourlet. Label verso.
Wax seal stamp verso.
Portrait of Colonel Rupert Bridge in Armour with a Black Pageboy
This large and impressive 17th century Dutch Old Master portrait oil painting with good provenance is by Nicolaes Maes. Painted circa 1680 it is a three-quarter length standing portrait of Colonel Rupert Bridge in black armour in a landscape with a black servant. His brown curly wig cascades down his chest either side of a lacy cravat. One hand is on his left hip, the other holds a parchment or map. Although front on, his face is turned slightly to his right in a disdainful way and his pale face looks distinctly superior. To the Colonel's left and in the corner of the painting is a small young black servant, or page boy. He is gazing up at the Colonel and the whites of his eyes are very apparent. He is wearing a decorative cloth around his shoulders and appears to have a collar around his neck. The positioning and body language of the two figures emphasises the Colonel's social status and wealth.
Until the 19th century, the most common role for black people in art was that of servant or slave. It was considered a status symbol for wealthy Europeans to own or employ an exotic, well-dressed black servant. It was increasingly fashionable, and a form of social currency from the seventeenth century onwards, for the Black servant in the British aristocratic home to be shown in portraits. This inclusion was a status sign of wealth, and having portraits created was a public way to record these lives. These portraits are not uncommon for this era and they encapsulate the seventeenth-century fashion for aristocrats to be presented next to Black individuals, as a way to demonstrate their social and economic status, and whiteness. Showing minimal facial features obscures the evidence of the Black individual in apparently white spaces, and simultaneously demonstrates the whiteness of the aristocracy. The Black presence in these various portraits demonstrated the establishments involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
The detail and brushwork are superb and this is an excellent example of a 17th century Dutch Old Master portrait and of Maes skill as a portraitist.
Provenance: Christie's, London, Important English Pictures, 22 November 1985, lot 97A
Dorotheum, Kunstauktion 1631 Alte Meister, 7 November 1991, lot 107
Condition. Oil on canvas, image size is 48 inches by 38 inches and in good condition.
Frame. House in a very ornate carved Sunderland or Auricular frame. Framed size is 55 inches by 48 inches and in good condition.
BIOGRAPHY
Nicolaes Maes (1634-1693) was a Dutch painter known for his genre scenes, portraits, religious compositions and the occasional still life. A pupil of Rembrandt in Amsterdam, he returned to work in his native city of Dordrecht for 20 years. In the latter part of his career he returned to Amsterdam where he became the leading portrait painter of his time. Maes contributed to the development of genre painting in the Netherlands and was the most prominent portrait painter working in Amsterdam in the final three decades of the 17th century.
The theme for Black History Month UK 2025 is “Standing Firm in Power and Pride,” a powerful tribute to the resilience, strength, and unwavering commitment to progress that defines the Black community across the globe. This year, the theme highlights the profound contributions made by Black people be they leaders, activists, or pioneers who have shaped history, while also looking towards a future of continued empowerment, unity, and growth.
This charming British portrait oil painting is by female artist Dod Procter. It was painted in 1949 and exhibited at the Royal Academy London the same year. The painting is of a little girl in her peach party frock, bows in her hair. There is tremendous Impressionist style brushwork and a lovely soft focus romanticism to the painting making this an excellent example of her work. There are two figures verso.
Signed upper right and inscribed verso
Provenance. Exhibited: Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, 1949, no. 541.
The Orion Gallery, Penzance (bears label to the reverse of the frame).
James Bourlet.label verso.
This beautiful Victorian portrait oil painting is by Belgian artist Alfred Ronner. Painted circa 1890 the painting is of a young woman sat at a spinning wheel. She is spinning flax, perhaps as a cottage industry, the final step of flax textile production being spinning, to make yarn that can be used to weave textiles. The light catching the young woman and flax and the detail of her features and hands as she spins are superb. The muted palette tones are perfect making this a really beautiful painting and an excellent example of Ronner's work.
Signed upper left.
Provenance. Bonham & Sons Ltd, 3 October 1957, sold together with a copy of the catalogue. Lot 130
This beautiful British Edwardian portrait oil painting is by noted and much exhibited female artist Maud Marion Wear. Wear trained at the Royal Academy Schools in London for five years and then went on to combine teaching art and exhibiting for over forty years including 45 works at the Royal Academy. Her painting were mainly portraits and figure studies. This lovey painting, painted circa 1905 is a three quarter length portrait of a young woman in front of a leaded window. She is wearing a dark dress with lace collar and lace cap. In her hands she holds a ball of tangerine wool. These colours are beautifully echoed by the autumnal trees behind her through the window. She is gazing down to her right. This painting is absolutely exquisite in its colouring with the vivid orange and greens behind her and her rosy cheeks and red lips. The sympathetic soft focus detail in her face is also superb. This is a fantastic example of Wear's work as a female artist and is just a pleasure to behold.
This lovely Edwardian oil painting is by French artist William Albert Ablett. Dated 1901, the brush work and use of light are superb. Ablett has perfectly captured the movement and flow of spinning. An elderly bespectacled lady sits in the light from a window as she spins.
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