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Margaret Dovaston
After Dinner Rest Awhile - Quintessentially British Domestic Scene

About the Item

Margaret Dovaston (1884–1955) After Dinner, Rest Awhile Oil on Canvas Signed M Dovaston (lower right) 46 x 61 cms / 18 x 24 inches This finely detailed scene by British artist Margaret Dovaston captures a richly imagined moment in a Georgian or Regency-era tavern. The composition is alive with storytelling: finely dressed gentlemen gather in relaxed conversation over drinks, their animated gestures and attentive postures suggesting old friendships, anecdotes, and evening laughter. Other figures populate the warm, panelled interior, adding depth and narrative intrigue. This is a particularly charming and characterful example of her mature work, full of warmth, precision and narrative delight. Margaret Dovaston was born in 1884 in West London, into a comfortable and supportive family that encouraged her early interest in the arts. She went on to study at the prestigious Royal Academy Schools, where she was immersed in rigorous academic training and exposed to the formal techniques that would underpin her distinctive painterly style. Later, she studied under the celebrated British artist and muralist Sir Frank Brangwyn, whose influence – particularly in terms of composition, atmosphere and detail – is evident in much of her mature work. Dovaston established herself as a skilled genre painter, best known for her romanticised interior scenes set in the 18th and early 19th centuries. These carefully constructed tableaux often depict groups of figures in Georgian or Regency dress engaged in the quiet rituals of everyday life – playing music, reading letters, sharing conversation or simply taking tea. Her canvases are rich with period detail: tapestries, panelling, silverware and fine costume are all rendered with precision and a genuine affection for historical texture. While her work does not engage with the radical artistic movements of her time – such as Modernism or Post-Impressionism – Dovaston’s art fulfilled a different cultural role. At a time when Britain was experiencing immense social and political change, including the aftermath of the First World War and the shifting roles of women, her paintings offered viewers a form of visual escapism, a return to perceived order, elegance and civility. In this sense, her oeuvre can be seen as both nostalgic and quietly conservative, aligning with a tradition of British domestic genre painting that stretches back to artists like William Powell Frith and George Leslie. Nonetheless, in recent years, there has been a renewed interest in early 20th-century women painters, and Dovaston’s work is increasingly recognised for its technical skill, storytelling quality and contribution to the visual culture of her time. Her ability to blend narrative, nostalgia, and precise draughtsmanship speaks to a deeply personal vision – one that continues to charm collectors and connoisseurs alike. Today, her paintings are held in both private and public collections and are often sought after by those with an appreciation for British historical genre scenes and fine period detail. Dovaston was elected R.B.A. in 1910, and exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy, Royal Society of British Artists and at Walkers Gallery in London between 1908 and 1913. Margaret Dovaston remains a testament to the enduring power of domestic storytelling in art and a valuable figure in the lineage of British women painters who pursued their careers with quiet determination and notable success.
  • Creator:
    Margaret Dovaston (1884, British)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 18.12 in (46 cm)Width: 24.02 in (61 cm)
  • Medium:
    Canvas,Oil
  • Movement & Style:
    Academic
  • Period:
    Late 19th Century
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2615216426712

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