Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 16

Edward Steel Harper Jnr
Life Kindled of a Fiery Birth - British art 1913 landscape oil painting

1913

$8,709.09
$10,886.3620% Off
£6,400
£8,00020% Off
€7,518.94
€9,398.6720% Off
CA$11,964.80
CA$14,95620% Off
A$13,357.58
A$16,696.9720% Off
CHF 6,999.17
CHF 8,748.9620% Off
MX$163,509.87
MX$204,387.3420% Off
NOK 88,889.53
NOK 111,111.9120% Off
SEK 83,811.54
SEK 104,764.4320% Off
DKK 56,114.60
DKK 70,143.2520% Off

About the Item

This superb 1913 late Pre-Raphaelite spring landscape oil painting is by noted Birmingham artist Edward Steel Harper Junior. The title, Life Kindled from a Fiery Birth is from Swinburne's epic poem `Tristram of Lyonesse` (1882), see more details below biography. The hilly landscape is covered in vibrant yellow flowering gorse bushes that indeed appear like fire. There is also the blue of spring bluebells and trees coming into leaf in the background. Harper's landscapes in oil show his experimentation with the ‘wet white’ technique, a method used by the Pre-Raphaelite artists where white flake is spread with a palette knife onto canvas and colour then applied with sable brushes. This stunning painting is housed in a hand made brass or copper Arts and Crafts frame, which Harper would have made himself at the Birmingham School of Art. An altogether fantastic example of Harper's work. Signed with characteristic ES [harp] ER, in part to distinguish himself from his father, who shared the same initials, and dated 1913. Signed and inscribed upon a partially fragmented label on the backboard. Provenance. Somerset estate. Condition. Oil on canvas, 30 inches by 24 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed a repousse brass or copper Arts & Crafts frame, probably designed and made at the Birmingham School of Art, 43 inches by 35 inches and in good condition. Harper studied at the Birmingham School of Art where a keen focus upon methods and materials was encouraged, especially in wood and metal. Harper was to become a proficient metalworker and an equally accomplished woodworker. Some of his more ambitious compositions have frames like this one: evidently original, carefully executed and made to complement the picture itself so that the Arts & Crafts ethos of thoughtful design and skilful manufacture in perfect harmony can be shown to good effect. Edward Steel Harper Jnr (1878-1951) was a landscape and portrait painter from Birmingham. He was son of Edward Steel Harper Snr who was Director of the Life Academy, Municipal School of Art, Birmingham 1880-1919. He was one of three children who all became professional artists. He was Honorary Secretary and Professor of Anatomy at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA), Director of the Life Academy at Birmingham School of Art (1880-1919) and Art Critic for the Birmingham Post. Harper studied at the Birmingham School of Art where a keen focus upon methods and materials was encouraged, especially in wood and metal. Harper was to become a proficient metalworker and an equally accomplished woodworker. Some of his more ambitious compositions have frames like this one: evidently original, carefully executed and made to complement the picture itself so that the Arts & Crafts ethos of thoughtful design and skilful manufacture in perfect harmony can be shown to good effect. Such endeavours must have kept him busy as he is known to have painted over 2000 pictures in a exhibiting career that lasted 17 years. Elected member of the RBSA in 1915, Harper later became Art Master of Wolverhampton Grammar School until he retired in 1942. Of the 2000 pictures he painted during his lifetime, his major works include Woods by the Shore and The Breath of Spring, both of which were exhibited at the RBSA and were purchased by Birmingham Art Gallery. Harper exhibited from 1920 to 1937, at a number of leading venues, including the Royal Academy, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, as well as the RBSA. His works are in major galleries throughout the UK including Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Tristram of Lyonesse is a long epic poem written by the British poet Algernon Charles Swinburne, that recounts in grand fashion the famous medieval story of the ill-fated lovers Tristan and Isolde (Tristram and Iseult in Swinburne’s version). It was first published in 1882 by Chatto and Windus, in a volume entitled Tristram of Lyonesse and Other Poems. Swinburne himself considered Tristram of Lyonesse to be the crowning achievement of his poetic career (quoted by Harrison, p. 96). The poem consists of 4488 rhyming pentameters and is divided into ten different sections: one ‘Prelude’ and nine ‘Cantos’.
  • Creator:
    Edward Steel Harper Jnr (1878 - 1951)
  • Creation Year:
    1913
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 35 in (88.9 cm)Width: 43 in (109.22 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU853113194402

More From This Seller

View All
A Geological Landscape - British art 1920's landscape oil painting female artist
By Margaret Maitland Howard
Located in London, GB
This gorgeous and vibrant early twentieth century British landscape oil painting is by Margaret Maitland Howard. Painted circa 1920 the landscape is of a rocky out crop or escarpment...
Category

1920s Realist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

Woodland Path - British Impressionist art 1930 wooded landscape oil painting
By Oliver Hall, R.A., R.E., R.S.W.
Located in London, GB
This lovely Impressionist landscape oil painting is by prolific exhibitor and British artist Oliver Hall. Painted circa 1930 the composition is a path curving through some trees with...
Category

1930s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

Nottingham Landscape with horse - British 1900 animal oil painting equine art
By Arthur William Redgate
Located in London, GB
A stunning large oil on canvas by British nineteenth century artist Arthur William Redgate who was a Nottinghamshire based artist. He was a noted rustic landscape painter and he spec...
Category

19th Century Realist Animal Paintings

Materials

Oil

Spanish Wooded Landscape Tardor Breda - 1920's Impressionist art oil painting
By Antonio Ross Y Guell
Located in London, GB
An original Spanish/Catalan early twentieth century Impressionist oil by Antonio Ross Y Guell. This painting depicts a wooded landscape glade. The location is Tardor Breda. It is a stunning and fresh landscape with a river or pool beside the trees which are reflected. The Impressionist palette and bold colouring is typical of his work. A super Impressionist painting. This is an very good example of an early circa 1920 Spanish...
Category

1920s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

Galloway Hills Landscape - Scottish Edwardian Impressionist art oil painting
By John Campbell Mitchell
Located in London, GB
This stunning Scottish Edwardian exhibited landscape oil painting is by noted Scottish artist John Campbell Mitchell RSA. The location is the Galloway hills and it was painted in 190...
Category

Early 1900s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

River Tay Landscape Scotland - Scottish art Victorian Impressionist oil painting
By Joseph Milne
Located in London, GB
A beautiful, large landscape painting, oil on panel, by Scottish listed artist Joseph Milne. The river is the Tay, one of his favourites to paint and the view is from the foot of the tower on Binn Hill with the Fife hills given a little more majesty. This painting is a typical Scottish Impressionist painting with vibrant brushwork. It was painted circa 1900 and is in very good condition in its original frame from W Stewart of Perth. It has various labels verso. Milne exhibited extensively at The Royal Scottish Academy and The Royal Academy. This is a lovely example of an early twentieth century Scottish oil. Signed left. Provenance. R. Stewart Perth label verso. Condition. Oil on panel, image size 30 inches by 22 inches unframed, in fine gallery condition. Housed in an original Scottish frame 34 by 42 approx framed. In excellent condition. Joseph (Joe) Milne (1857-1911) was born in Edinburgh in 1857, the elder brother of the painter William Watt Milne (1869-1949) and the father of John Maclauchlan Milne...
Category

19th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

You May Also Like

Listed American Artist George F. Kaumeyer (1856-1951) Antique landscape painting
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is a stunning original large antique 19th-century oil painting on canvas that captures a glowing forest landscape at sunset, with fiery hues of orange, red, and gold stre...
Category

Early 20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

Arts & Crafts Impressionist Landscape Painting, Chicago Artist, 1926
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Arts & crafts impressionist landscape painting, Chicago Artist, 1926 This painting is a perfect example of the Arts & Crafts movement. It is a matur...
Category

Vintage 1920s Arts and Crafts Paintings

Materials

Canvas

1863-1936 English Impressionist signed Oil painting NEW FOREST SUNSET HAMPSHIRE
By Frederick Golden Short
Located in Cirencester, GB
ARTIST: Frederick Golden Short (1863-1936) British TITLE: "New Forest Sunset" SIGNED: unsigned - labelled verso for Louise Kosman Gallery where originally purchased MEDIUM: oil on ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

Antique early 20th century English Autumn river landscape
By Sidney Pike
Located in Woodbury, CT
Early 20th-Century Antique English Autumn/fall river landscape. Sidney Pike was a prolific landscape and genre artist exhibiting between 1880-1907, London based originally he seems ...
Category

Early 1900s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Lewis Taylor Gibb (1873-1945) English large Oil Painting SUNSET LANDSCAPE
Located in Cirencester, GB
ARTIST: Lewis Taylor Gibb (1873-1945) English TITLE: "Tranquil River Landscape At Dusk" SIGNED: lower left MEDIUM: oil on canvas SIZE: 78cm x 68cm inc frame CONDITION: excellent just a couple of very light cracks to the paint commensurate with age PRICE: £650 DETAIL: Painter, printmaker, notably of London landscapes and flowers, lecturer, born in London, daughter of the artist H Clarence Whaite. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, 1952–6, at the University of London Institute of Education, 1958–9, and at the Royal Academy Schools, 1968–9 and 1977–8. She became lecturer, then senior art lecturer at St Gabriel...
Category

Early 20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

Antique American 1918 Stratford Connecticut Framed Impressionist Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Early American impressionist landscape painting. Framed. Possibly signed verso. Oil on board.
Category

1910s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil