Items Similar to Portrait of a Girl Reading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 2
Robert Anning BellPortrait of a Girl Reading
About the Item
Robert Anning Bell
1863-1933
Portrait of a Girl Reading
Oil on canvas, signed upper right
Image size: 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches (16.5 x 21.5 cm)
Original frame
In this composition, a fair-skinned girl with an iridescent blush and lustrous golden-bond hair is depicted engrossed in her reading. The book she holds is strategically positioned facing upwards, to catch the same gentle light that illuminates her almost ethereal face. Her luminous appearance is set against a vivid blue background, providing a striking contrast that enhances the composition. The rich hue of the background serves to emphasise her fair complexion and the subtle luminosity of her blush. This contrast is further accentuated by the deep black of her dress with its juxtaposition of light and dark within the composition creates a focus on the lady’s serene and focused expression. Though the meticulous use of colour and light, the artist captures a moment of quiet introspection, highlighting the delicate beauty of the subject in the contemplative state.
Robert Anning Bell
Robert Anning Bell was a renowned British painter, sculptor, designer, illustrator and educator. Born in London in 1863, the son of a cheesemonger, Bell underwent varied but extensive artistic training. He began working in an architect’s office before studying at the University College School, the Westminster School of Art, and the Royal Academy Schools. His artistic practice was later influenced by the classical and renaissance art he encountered on extensive trips to Paris and Italy.
Upon his return to England, Bell shared a studio with the Sculptor George Frampton. Together, they collaborated on a series of designs for an altarpiece, which was exhibited at the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society and later installed in the Church of St Clare in Liverpool. This collaboration marked the beginning of Bell’s significant contribution to the Arts and Crafts movement. Between 1895 and 1899, Bell served as an instructor at the Liverpool University School of Architecture. During this period, he became closely associated with the Della Robbia Pottery in Birkenhead, contributing to its innovative ceramic designs that took inspiration from 15th century Florentine reliefs. Simultaneously, Bell’s reputation as a book designer and illustrator flourished, leading to numerous successful commissions.
In 1911, Bell was appointed head of the design section at the Glasgow School of Art and later between 1918 and 1924 he served as a professor of design at the Royal College of Art in London. Through out his academic career, Bell continued to produce and exhibit his artwork. He showcased his paintings at the Royal Academy, the New English Art Club, and the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours. Additionally, he participated in the inaugural exhibition of the Society of Graphic Art in 1921. That same year, he was elected as Master of the Art Workers’ Guild.Bell’s artistic oeuvre is characterised by a clear, linear style, heavily influenced by Italian Renaissance art. His work in mosaics and stained glass remains particularly notable. Examples of his mosaics can be found in Westminster Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament, while his stained-glass work included the renowned Shakespeare window in the Manchester Reference Library.
Museums
Walker Art Museum, Liverpool
Tate, London
Manchester City Art Gallery
Victoria Art Gallery, Conwy
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Horniman Museum, London
- Creator:Robert Anning Bell (1863 - 1933, British)
- Dimensions:Height: 8.5 in (21.59 cm)Width: 6.5 in (16.51 cm)
- More Editions & Sizes:6 1/2 x 8 1/2 inchesPrice: $10,825
- Medium:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU52415815392
Robert Anning Bell
Born in London, Robert Anning Bell was trained as a painter at the Royal Academy Schools in 1881 and afterward at the Westminster School of Art. He later worked under Aimé Morot in Paris. George Frampton, whom Anning Bell worked under in London, became the leader of the Craft of Sculptors and The Art Workers Guild in 1884. He was largely responsible for encouraging artists to expand the variety of their materials and techniques. Anning Bell became a master of the Art Worker's Guild and, in addition to his paintings, made polychrome plaster relief images in the Arts and Crafts style. It was Robert Anning Bell who designed mosaics for the Houses of Parliament and also Westminster Cathedral.
About the Seller
5.0
Gold Seller
Premium sellers maintaining a 4.3+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 2007
1stDibs seller since 2014
80 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 4 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: London, United Kingdom
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllJohn the Baptist
By Francesco Curradi
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas
Image size: 17 x 21 inches (43 x 53 cm)
18th Century Carlotta frame
Provenance
Private Country Estate
When depicting John the Baptist artists often added an outer ga...
Category
17th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
After Hours
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas on board, signed lower left
Image size: 14 1/2 x 17 1/2 inches (36.5 x 44.5 cm)
Hand made frame
In this atmospheric scene a drunk is walking home, he must be causing some noise as another person is leaning out of his window to the right looking at him.
The artist has captured old London beautifully with the old bins, advertising on the walls and the cats bemused by the drunken figure. It sometimes takes an outsider such as Sancha to appreciate the beauty of the scene.
Francisco Sancha Lengo
Self portrait in London
Francisco Sancha y Lengo was born in Malaga in 1874. He attended the School of Fine Arts there and studied under Joaquín Martínez de la Vega, the eccentric, influential teacher that baptised a young Picasso with champagne. Such an education served him well, and by 1897 Sancha was studying at the Royal Academy in Madrid under José Moreno Carbonero...
Category
Early 20th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas, Board
Portrait of a Lady in Veil
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas, signed & dated '1890' lower right
Image size: 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches (16.5 cm round)
Cushion size: 19 x 19 inches (48cm square)
Original gilt frame and cushioned mount...
Category
1890s Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Self Portrait, 19th Century Pre-Raphaelite Oil Painting
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas
Image size: 9 1/4 x 7 inches (23.5 x 18 cm)
Original pierced gilt frame
This wonderful Pre-Raphaelite self-portrait contributes to the artistic tradition of representi...
Category
19th Century Pre-Raphaelite Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Girl with Book, 18th Century Regency Oil Painting
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas
Image size: 28 3/4 x 24 inches (73 x 61 cm)
Contemporary style gilt frame
This portrait is an evocative example of Devis' Regency period portraiture, featuring a pleasant looking young girl holding a book in an outdoor setting.
Working with a darker palette, a strongly accented diagonal recession, and dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, Devis heightens the girl's three-dimensional physical presence in the foreground of the composition.
The Artist
Arthur William Devis (10 August 1762 – 11 February 1822) was an English painter of history paintings and portraits. He painted portraits and historical subjects, sixty-five of which he exhibited (1779–1821) at the Royal Academy. Among his more famous works are a depiction of the Death of Nelson and a posthumous portrait of Nelson.
Devis was born in London, the nineteenth child of the artist Arthur Devis and his wife Elizabeth Faulkner. Devis was the younger brother of the painter Thomas Anthony Devis (1757–1810) and of the schoolmistress and grammarian Ellin Devis (1746–1820), teacher, among others, of author of Maria Edgeworth and Frances Burney (later novelist Madame d'Arblay).
He followed his elder brother Thomas Anthony in becoming a pupil at the Royal Academy Schools in 1774 and like his brother exhibited at the Free Society of Artists, of which in 1768 their father had become president, and at the Royal Academy. Early on he came to the notice of Sir Joshua Reynolds.
He was appointed draughtsman on the British East India Company's packet Antelope in a voyage in 1783, under Captain Henry Wilson. In her he was injured in an encounter with Papuans near the Schouten Islands and was then wrecked on the Pelew Islands before proceeding to Canton and thence to Bengal. During his voyages, the artist received arrow wounds, one of which inflicted permanent injury on his lower jaw. During his time in Bengal, he painted a portrait of Sir William Jones, at the time a judge in Fort William. The painting now hangs at the British Library.
He was back in London by 1795 and is recorded on 21 July 1797 as living at 27 George Street, Hanover Square, where he was insured by the Sun Assurance Office.
He is noted for his involvement in the creation of the posthumous cult of Horatio Nelson. As she returned from Trafalgar, Devis went out to meet HMS Victory and was present on board the ship during the autopsy of Nelson's body conducted by Dr Beatty, the ship's surgeon. With the help of sketches he took at that time, he painted a heroic Death of Nelson, which proved a sensation.
Devis also painted Dr Beatty, and was commissioned by him to produce a half-length painting of Nelson as vice-admiral, which he lent to Emma Hamilton (who later lost it in an accident whilst travelling). Either the original or a copy of this portrait was exhibited at the Royal Academy two years after the Battle and many copies were made of it. Lord Howe owned one, and another ended up in the collection of the National Maritime Museum. It also appeared as an engraving in Beatty's published account of Nelson's death.
Other work includes a portrait of King George III on horseback, and a range of portraits of admirals and generals, along with historical subjects, such as the Babington Plot and the signing of the Magna Carta...
Category
18th Century Victorian Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of John Hoppner
By Sir John Hoppner
Located in London, GB
After Sir John Hoppner
1758 - 1810
Self Portrait
Oil on canvas
Image size: 18 1/2 x 21 1/2 inches (47 x 55 cm)
Original gilt Carlotta frame
This wonderful painting is after John Ho...
Category
Mid-19th Century Naturalistic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$6,494
You May Also Like
'Young Woman Wearing a Copper Scarf', Paris, Salon d'Automne, Brittany, Skagen
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Signed lower left, 'W. Schwartz' for Walter Erwin Otto Schwartz (Danish, 1889-1958), dated 1935 and inscribed 'Skagen' lower right.
A substantial, psychologically penetrating portrait of a young woman with braids, shown dressed in a charcoal wool coat and wearing a copper-colored neck-scarf. The self-possessed sitter stands and meets the viewers gaze directly, proving herself an unusually confident subject for this noted Danish Modernist.
Nephew of the Danish academic artist, Frans Schwartz, Walter Schwartz grew up surrounded by the painters who frequented the Danish art colony on the picturesque island of Skagen. Walter first studied formally (1904-8) with Michael Ancher...
Category
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Mother and child
Located in Riga, LV
Mother and child
oil/canvas, 85x67 cm.
Category
1990s Impressionist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Woman surrealism oil on canvas painting
By Alvar Sunol Munoz-Ramos
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Canvas size 81x100 cm.
Frame size 94x113 cm.
Alvar Suñol Alvar Suñol Munoz-Ramos, commonly known as Alvar, was born in 1935 in Montgat, Spain, a Catalan fishing village on the Medit...
Category
Early 2000s Expressionist Abstract Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$11,135 Sale Price
52% Off
Portrait of a Young Man with a Straw Hat oil on canvas painting
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Title: Portrait of a Young Man with a Straw Hat
Artist: Josep Cusachs i Cusachs (1851-1908)
Year: 1884
Technique: Oil on canvas
Dimensions (unframed): 18.1 x 15 inches
Dimensions (fr...
Category
1880s Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$9,743 Sale Price
30% Off
Anne Wolff, "Irad Ortiz", Horse Racing Jockey Rose Silks Portrait Oil on Canvas
By Anne Wolff
Located in Saratoga Springs, NY
This equine racing painting "Irad Ortiz" by artist Anne Wolff is a 24x18 original oil painting on canvas. Featured is the back view of famous jockey Irad Ortiz on horseback. He is ...
Category
2010s Realist Animal Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
$4,600 Sale Price
20% Off
Try a Little Tenderness - Oil Paint by Simona Zecca - 2023
Located in Roma, IT
"Try a little tenderness" is an oil painting on canvas with gold leaf and acrylic paste, cm 60x70
The work intends to represent how we all need to be strong but never forget our tend...
Category
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Italian Bell
George Bell
Golden Bell
15th Century Italian Painting
Royal Bell
Blue Bell Vintage
Bond St London
English 15th
Church Bell
Linear Dresses
Stained Glass Dress
English 15th Century
Design Guild Glass
Glasgow Girls
Arts And Crafts Stained Glass Window
Pottery Girl
Renaissance Dress Vintage
Vintage Girl Reading