Born in 1708 to a respectable Devonshire family, Francis Hayman’s training began at the tender age of ten under the tutelage of the historical painter Robert Brown, who was probably an uncle. By the 1730s, he is known to have been engaged in painting scenery for the popular theatres on Goodman’s Fields and Drury Lane. He established a studio on St Martin’s Lane and demonstrated his versatility as one of the most important painters of his time in portraits, illustration and history painting. Indeed, he was one of the first English painters deemed to have the skill and proficiency to rival that of the foreign masters, such as Holbein and Kneller, who were brought in by the court to make up for the perceived shortcomings of the native artists. Led by William Hogarth, Hayman and other artists began to create a new movement in the English art world. Thomas Gainsborough was one of his pupils, whom he is said to have introduced to the more lascivious and debauched underbelly of London life. After mostly making his living as an illustrator, in the 1740s Hayman was commissioned by the proprietor of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, Jonathan Tyers, to produce a series of four large celebratory canvases depicting British victories from the Seven Years War. His association with Tyers continued, and over the next ten years, he produced a number of large decorative paintings for the ornate supper boxes that were a very popular feature of the gardens. Success as a portrait and conversation piece artist arose from his relaxed style, which cast aside the usual formal settings and poses to embrace the genteel environments of the urban middle classes in society, depicting their privileged life. These were often painted in the rococo style, which had become very popular in England in the early eighteenth century. In 1768, Hayman is listed as a founding member of the Royal Academy, and rather ironically, given his rather wayward character, held the office of Academy Librarian from 1771 until his death in 1776. He is believed to have been married twice, although there is no surviving record of his first marriage. Hayman died of gout in his house on Dean Street in Soho in February 1776. He is buried in an unmarked grave in nearby St Anne’s churchyard. We are grateful to Professor Brian Allen for confirming the attribution to Francis Hayman based on the first-hand examination of the work.
Portrait of a Privateer
By Francis Hayman
Located in London, GB
Portrait of a Privateer Francis Hayman 1708 - 1776 Oil on canvas Image size: 20 x 14 inches (51 x 36 cm) Contemporary style frame Provenance Charles Fleischmann Esq Here, a small ...
Canvas, Oil
Self-Portrait - Royal Academy Founding Member, 18th Century
By Francis Hayman
Located in London, GB
Francis Hayman RA 1708–1776 Self-Portrait Oil on oak panel Image size: 8 x 6¼ inches Contemporary gilt frame This newly discovered work is the earliest known self portrait by Francis Hayman, dated to the mid to late 1720’s. The small scale of the portrait gives it a strong sense of intimacy. Whereas clients would often dress themselves in their best clothes for a sitting, Hayman has portrayed himself in informal attire, with his shirt unbuttoned and a wig cap. Born in 1708 to a respectable Devonshire family, his training began at the tender age of ten under the tutelage of the historical painter Robert Brown, who was probably an uncle. By the 1730’s he is known to have been engaged in painting scenery for the popular theatres on Goodman’s Fields and Drury Lane. He established a studio on St Martin’s Lane, and demonstrated his versatility as one of the most important painters of his time in portraits, illustration and history painting. Indeed, he was one of the first English painters deemed to have the skill and proficiency to rival that of the foreign masters, such as Holbein and Kneller, who were brought in by the court to make up for the perceived shortcomings of the native artists. Led by William Hogarth, Hayman and other artists began to create a new movement in the English art world. Thomas Gainsborough was one of his pupils, whom he is said to have introduced to the more lascivious and debauched underbelly of London life. After mostly making his living as an illustrator, in the 1740’s Hayman was commissioned by the proprietor of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, Jonathan Tyers, to produce a series of four large celebratory canvases depicting British victories from the Seven Years War. His association with Tyers continued, and over the next ten years he produced a number of large decorative paintings...
Oak, Oil Pastel
$26,455
H 83 in W 45 in
Enormous Portrait Elegant 1900's Gentleman in Riding Dress British Oil Painting
By Paul Knight
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Gentleman in Riding Dress by Paul Knight (exh. 1883–1904) oil on canvas, framed (*read important notes at the end of this listing) Signed lower right Approximately 83 ...
Oil, Canvas
$1,600
H 35.04 in W 28.35 in D 0.79 in
"Eléa Ossified" (Abstract Portrait, Floral, Calming, Roses, Painting on Wood)
By Nicholas Evans
Located in Paris, IDF
ELÉA OSSIFIED 2022 An abstracted portrait with detail of lying roses mimics thoughts caught in time, while capturing the complex notion of aging and beauty. A soft and calming paint...
Wood, Oil Pastel, Acrylic
$4,406Sale Price|20% Off
H 56 in W 47 in
Huge British Mid 20th Century Portrait of a Bank Manager Signed Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Bank Manager by Stuart Scott Somerville (1908-1983) signed oil on canvas, framed Framed: 56 x 47 inches Canvas: 50 x 40 inches Provenance: private collection, UK Condition: very ...
Oil, Canvas
$1,790Sale Price|20% Off
H 30 in W 24.5 in
1830's British Oil Painting Large Portrait of a Distinguished Gentleman
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of an English Gentleman English School, circa 1830's period oil on canvas, unframed Canvas: 30 x 24.5 inches Provenance: Private collection, UK Condition: relined canvas, ov...
Oil, Canvas
$1,790Sale Price|20% Off
H 14.5 in W 12.5 in
Antique English Oil Painting Portrait of Pomeranian Dog 19th Century framed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Pomeranian Dog English artist, late 19th century oil on canvas, framed Framed: 14.5 x 12.5 inches Canvas: 10 x 8 inches Provenance: Private collection, Surrey, England ...
Oil, Canvas
$122,101
H 52 in W 42 in D 2 in
Portrait of a Spanish Noble Lady - 17th Century Old Master art oil painting
Located in Hagley, England
This stunning, large portrait oil painting is attributed to Spanish Old Master Claudio Coello who is considered the last great Spanish painter of the 17th century. It has formerly been the property of Lady Beatrice...
Oil Crayon
$950
H 13.5 in W 17.5 in D 0.25 in
19th-century Portrait of a British Cavalry Officer
Located in San Francisco, CA
Oh, to look this dashing when atop a mount. On offer is a portrait of an officer or orderly from a British cavalry regiment, perhaps commissioned for the rider’s sweetheart or family...
Canvas, Oil, Panel
$15,000
H 30.5 in W 24.5 in D 2.5 in
“Hon. George King, 1788” Pastel Portrait, Young Boy with Cricket Ball and Dog
By John Russell
Located in Yardley, PA
“Hon. George King, 1788” by John Russell (1745-1806) Regarded as Britain’s foremost pastellist, John Russell is well known for his portraits of the wealthy middle class. In particul...
Canvas, Paper, Pastel
$915Sale Price|25% Off
H 18 in W 22 in D 2 in
Ladies at Leisure in Summer Meadow 20th Century Oil on Canvas with Ornate Frame
Located in Preston, GB
Ladies at Leisure in a Summer Meadow Art measures 16 x 12 inches Frame measures 22 x 18 inches This charming early 20th century impressionist painting depicts three elegantly dre...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
$1,345Sale Price|20% Off
H 24 in W 18 in
Portrait of WW11 British Army Officer Soldier Antique English Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Army Officer *see notes below by Kathleen Emily Temple-Bird (British 1879 - 1962) oil painting on canvas , unframed canvas: 24 x 18 inches condition: very good, minor surface scu...
Oil, Canvas
$3,866
H 36 in W 30.5 in D 1 in
18thC English School Gentleman In A Red Velvet Coat, Oil On Canvas, Portrait
Located in Cheltenham, GB
US buyers pay no import tariffs on this painting. This early 18th-century English School portrait depicts Thomas Stanley wearing a striking red velvet suit, white cravat and powdere...
Canvas, Oil
$95,000
H 51.19 in W 41.33 in
Portrait of Senator Bartolomeo Panciatichi by Santi di Tito (1574)
Located in PARIS, FR
This recently rediscovered portrait of Santi di Tito depicts a Florentine senator, with a letter in his hand indicating that the painting was executed in 1574 when the sitter was 66 years old. On the basis of these clues, it is tempting to view it as a portrait of Bartolomeo Panciatichi, who was painted some thirty years before by Bronzino (1503 - 1572). While the treatment of the hands recalls the Florentine tradition of Mannerist portraits, the comparison with Bronzino's portrait illustrates Santi di Tito's search for greater realism, despite the stereotyped composition. 1. Santi di Tito, Counter-Reformation painter and portraitist Santi di Tito was the great painter of the Florentine Counter-Reformation. He proposed a new artistic language that broke away from Mannerism. Little is known about his training in Florence (perhaps alongside Bronzino or Baccio Bandinelli), but this period of training enabled him to join the Company of Saint Luke, the guild of Florentine painters, in 1554. Between 1560 and 1564, Santi di Tito spent time in Rome, where he frequented the workshop of Taddeo Zuccari. This stay had a fundamental influence on his work, thanks to the discovery of the late work of Raphael, but also his encounters with the painters Francesco Salviati and Federico Barocci. Around 1565, Santi di Tito returned to Florence, where he remained until the end of his life, dividing his talents between the creation of important religious paintings and countless portraits. He became one of the city's leading painters, distinguishing himself, in particular, in the creation of large religious compositions in which the spirit of the Counter-Reformation was reflected. In 1568, Santi di Tito became a member of the Confraternity of Saint Thomas Aquinas...
Poplar, Oil
$9,339Sale Price|20% Off
H 41.34 in W 48.82 in
Portrait Battle Horse Van Der Meulen Paint 17/18th Century Oil on canvas
Located in Riva del Garda, IT
Circle of Adam Frans van der Meulen (Brussels 1632 – Paris 1690) Equestrian portrait with battle scene in the background Oil on canvas? 81 x 103 cm.?In frame 105 x 124 cm. ...
Oil Pastel
Early 19th-century British School Portrait of a Lady
Located in San Francisco, CA
This painting is an authentic early 19th-century portrait of a lady categorized under the British School. It offers a quintessential example of Regency-era British portraiture featur...
Canvas, Oil
$148,500
H 18.88 in W 15.88 in D 2 in
Tri-Directional Portrait Commemorating the Russo-Turkish War
Located in New Orleans, LA
Austrian School 18th Century Tri-Directional Portrait Commemorating the Russo-Turkish War Oil on wooden strips This extraordinary tri-directional portrait exemplifies the rare innovation known as a triscenorama, capturing a pivotal diplomatic moment through ingenious artistic technique. Employing triangularly cut wooden strips, this remarkable work simultaneously depicts three imperial figures central to the Russo-Turkish War of 1735-1739: Empress Anna Ivanovna Romanova of Russia when viewed directly, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI from the left and Ottoman Sultan Mahmud I from the right, commemorating the Treaty of Nissa that concluded this significant European conflict. The portrait utilizes an exceptionally rare optical technique that predates modern movable imaging technology. When observed from different angles, the painted triangular wooden strips create a transformative effect, revealing entirely different imperial portraits as the viewer shifts position. The precision required to execute such a work demonstrates remarkable technical mastery, as the artist had to conceptualize three distinct portraits as well as the meticulous arrangement of the panels. This sophisticated manipulation of perspective creates an interactive viewing experience considered revolutionary for its time. Almost certainly created by an Austrian artist, this diplomatic artwork likely served as a commemorative piece marking the Treaty of Nissa, signed in September 1739. The treaty concluded Russia's ambitious campaign to secure access to the Black Sea while countering Ottoman raids in Ukraine and the Caucasus regions. Given its exceptional quality and historical significance, this portrait was possibly commissioned by Emperor Charles VI himself, potentially serving as a diplomatic gift to either Empress Anna or Sultan Mahmud I during the treaty negotiations. Under Empress Anna's leadership, Russia sought to counter devastating raids from Ottoman allies, particularly the Crimean Tatars...
Wood, Oil, Wood Panel
Portrait of Peregrine Bertie (1709-1777)
By Francis Hayman
Located in Stoke, Hampshire
Francis Hayman R.A. (1708-1776) Portrait of Peregrine Bertie (1709-1777) The original canvas was signed and dated 1744 (on reverse) Oil on canvas Canvas Size - 30 x 25 in Born in Exeter, Devon, Hayman begun his artistic career as a scene painter in London's Drury Lane theatre (where he also appeared in minor roles) before establishing a studio in St Martin's Lane. A versatile artist influenced by the French Rococo style, he achieved some note during the 1740s through decorative paintings executed for the supper boxes at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens in London. Hayman was also a successful portraitist and history painter. Combining some of these, he contributed 31 pictures to a 1744 edition of Shakespeare's plays by Sir Thomas Hanmer, and later portrayed many leading contemporary actors in Shakespearean roles, including David Garrick...
Oil