James Hayllar
James Hayllar RBA, Sunday Go-To-Meeting Togs, Oil Painting
1880

About the Item

This late 19th-century oil painting by British artist James Hayllar (1829-1920) depicts an elderly woman standing by a flight of stairs while brushing a top hat. It was shown at an exhibition of The Society of British Artists at Suffolk Street, London, in 1880 and referred to in the British press. A leaded window with decorative stained glass brightly illuminates undulant wooden stairs. The light, carefully observed, cascades down to old stone. At the foot, attired in widow’s weeds, a doting grandmother attends to a top hat. It’s a familiar scene within a remarkably loving home. When Hayllar produced this, he was residing at Castle Priory, a large manor house in Wallingford on the River Thames. He painted here often, as did several of his daughters. The lady shown is probably his mother Mary Ann Hayllar who appears in numerous works by the family. The title, which is inscribed on the reverse, suggests that the family are heading for church dressed in their Sunday best or ‘go-to-meeting togs’. Mary Ann was known to pop in and was widowed some years earlier. Hayllar began his career as a portraitist having trained with Francis Stephen Cary who also taught Millais and Rossetti. But he gained greater acclaim for his homely genre scenes, which capture a fascinating glimpse of Victorian middle-class life. Beyond his art, he was also keen to develop the skills of others. Working tirelessly for his local communities in Wallingford and later Bournemouth. This is a fine example of his work. Signed/dated held within a gilt frame. Labels & Inscriptions: Exhibition label on reverse. Provenance: Private collection, England. Artist’s auction maximum: £35,000 Established in 2017, Brave Fine Art is a premier English art dealership based in Cheltenham with clients including national galleries and country estates. Our team includes a conservator, logistics specialist and art historian. Over 1,000 paintings have been transported to the US and Canada safely with hundreds of glowing reviews. We set our prices fairly from the start as we prefer to sell quickly and continually evolve the collection. Around 40 new discoveries are added every month. If you have any questions at all, we’d love to hear from you

Creator:

James Hayllar (1829 - 1920, English, British)

Creation Year:

1880

Dimensions:

Height: 42.5 in (107.95 cm)Width: 36 in (91.44 cm)

Medium:

Canvas,Oil

Movement & Style:

English School

Period:

1880-1889