Oliver Messel

The Dancer - 20th Century British painting by Oliver Messel

circa 1960

PAUL SANDBY (1731-1809) Study of a Coachman Pencil and brown wash, shaped Framed 16.5 by 9 cm., 6 ½ by 3 ½ in. (frame size 32 by 22.5 cm., 12 ½ by 9 in.) Provenance: Iolo Williams; Private collection. Exhibited: Sudbury, Gainsborough House, 1979. Sandby was born in Nottingham and moved to London in 1745. He and his brother Thomas first worked in the military drawing department at the Tower of London, later working on a military survey of new roads and bridges in the Highlands. On leaving this post in 1751 he spent some time living with his brother who had been appointed Deputy Ranger of Windsor Great Park. There he assisted his brother, and made a series of drawings of the castle, town and neighbourhood. In 1760 he settled in London where he contributed to the first exhibition of the Society of Artists where he regularly exhibited until the foundation of the Royal Academy in 1768, becoming one of its founder members. In same year he was appointed chief drawing...

JOHN DRONSFIELD (1900-1951) Yellow and Green Gown Watercolour and chalk Unframed 38 by 27.5 cm., 15 by 11 in. (mount size 56 by 44 cm., 22 by ...

RICHARD WESTALL, RA (1765-1836) Cupid Sleeping; from a poem of Mrs Robinson - The Duchess of Devonshire Discovers the Sleeping Cupid Watercolour on paper, oval 36 by 44.5 cm., 14 ¼ by 18 in. (frame size 55 by 66 cm., 21 ¾ by 26 in.) Exhibited: London, Royal Academy, 1792, no.448. Richard Westall was bon in Reepham, near Norwich. Initially apprenticed to a London silver engraving he began studying at the Royal Academy Schools from 1785 and exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy between 1784 and 1836. Westall became an Associate member of the Royal Academy in 1792 and a full member in 1794. Westall painted in both oil and watercolour, his works being romantic and neoclassical in style. He contributing to both Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery and Fuseli’s Milton Gallery and was also a prolific book illustrator of both fiction and poetry including works by Sir Walter Scott and Byron, whose portrait he also painted. For a time he was also art master to the young Princess Victoria. This is probably Westall’s 1792 Royal Academy exhibit (no.448). The subject was inspired by the poem Cupid Sleeping by the poetess-actress Mary Darby Robinson, which had been published in the previous year. The poem was dedicated to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire and the picture show the Duchess discovering the sleeping cupid who she then relieves of his bow and arrows. Mrs Robinson was not only the Duchess’s protégée but also the first public mistress of the Prince of Wales. William Nutter’s engraving of Westall’s picture was also dedicated to the Duchess of Devonshire. Close in a woodbine's tangled shade, The blooming god asleep was laid; His brows with mossy roses crown'd; His golden darts lay scatter'd round; To shade his auburn, curled head, A purple canopy was spread, Which gently with the breezes play'd, And shed around a soften'd shade. Upon his downy smiling cheek, Adorned with many a "dimple sleek," Beam'd glowing health and tender blisses, His coral lip...

NICO JUNGMAN (1872-1935) The Toy Boat Signed l.r.; Nico W Jungman Watercolour and bodycolour over traces of pencil Framed 44 by 32 cm., 17 ¼ by 12 ½ in...

Original Watercolor art on paper. The size of art is 11"X14" . Size with the white matt is 20″X16″. Frame is not included. Signed by artist. Certificate of Authenticity is availabl...

Original Watercolor art on paper. The size of art is 11"X14" . Size with the white matt is 20″X16″. Frame is not included. Signed by artist. Certificate of Authenticity is availabl...

In the yard. 1869, watercolor on paper, 30, 5 x 47, 5 cm C. J. W. Huns was born in the family of Estonian teacher, organ player and sacristan Karl Fridrich Huhn. He studied in Rig...

Acrylic on paper contemporary figurative painting by Michal Wojtysiak. Artwork depicts Volkswagen 1500 car in realistic style. The color is vibrant and saturated. Michal Wojtysiak p...