Walter Beach Humphrey Art

CHRISTOFFEL LUBIENIECKI (1659-1729) Pair of portraits of a gentleman and a lady, both in silk kimono, before a country house (circa 1680) Indistinctly signed “C.......” on a box under the man’s left hand Oil on canvas, 79.5 x 67 cm each Both sitters are portrayed wearing a silk “Japanese” coat. During the second half of the seventeenth the Japanese silk coat, an adapted Japanese kimono, became a real vogue in the Dutch elite. The exclusive Dutch trade contacts with Japan can explain the popularity of the kimono-style silk coats in the Netherlands. Everybody who could afford one, dressed in such a fashionable and comfortable coat and, like the present sitters, some proud owners had themselves portrayed in a “Japanese” coat often together with an oriental carpet to underline their standing and international connections. These portraits are the work of the Polish-born portraitist Christoffel Lubieniecki (also known as Lubienitski, Lubinitski or Lubiniecki) Lubieniecki was first trained in Hamburg under Julian Stuhr and after 1675 in Amsterdam under Adriaen Backer and Gerard de Lairesse. He specialized in landscapes, generally of an Italianate character, and in portraits. The loving execution of these contented burghers, enjoying the garden vistas of their country house, places him alongside Amsterdam portraitists such as Constantijn Netscher and Michiel van Musscher...

Paul Louis Narcisse GROLLERON (Seignelay 1848 – Paris 1901) Child atop a wall Oil on canvas H. 60 cm ; W. 73 cm Signed and dated lower right – 1884 Paul Grolleron belongs to the generation of French painters who, during the second half of the 19th century, revitalized military painting through a keen and sensitive observation of soldiers' lives. Born in 1848 in Seignelay (Yonne), he trained in Paris under Léon Bonnat, receiving instruction grounded in rigorous draftsmanship and powerful structural composition. Exhibiting at the Salon from 1873 onwards, Grolleron developed a body of work dedicated to military painting, history painting, and genre scenes. He drew his primary inspiration from 19th-century conflicts, particularly the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871. Far from portraying war in an exclusively heroic light, the artist focused on lived experiences: marches, halts, bivouacs, reconnaissance missions, and combat scenes. The precision with which he rendered uniforms, equipment, and postures lends his compositions both a narrative and a documentary quality. His art is distinguished by solid draftsmanship, accuracy of detail, and remarkable compositional mastery. Notable works exhibited at the Salon include *Épisode de 1870* (Episode of 1870), *Combat en 1870 sous les murs de Paris* (Combat in 1870 beneath the walls of Paris), *Sur le qui-vive, à Buzenval* (On the Alert at Buzenval), and *Épisode de la bataille de Loigny* (Episode from the Battle of Loigny). An award-winning Salon artist whose work is held in both public and private collections, Grolleron remains a significant figure in French military painting...

A charming and decorative composition painted in 1943 by Danish artist Evan Wulff. This stilleben painting unveils a rustic table adorned simply with a wine bottle and two oranges. T...

Pierre-Albert BÉGAUD (Bordeaux 1901 – 1956) End of game Oil on canvas H. 27 cm; L. 46.5 cm Signed lower right Pierre-Albert Bégaud is a French portrait and landscape painter born in...

“Still Life, 1936” by Katharine "Kitty" Duff Church (British, 1910-1999). This large, early painting by Katherine Church is among her finest canvases of the period. Characterized by its bold color palette, simplified forms, and expressive brushwork, this composition centers around a tabletop adorned with various objects: potted plants, a ceramic dish, bottles, and what appear to be books or papers. The two potted plants provide contrasting elements: on the left, what appears to be a cyclamen with red blossoms and delicate leaves, and on the right, a lush green plant with darker foliage. These plants, painted with loose, textured strokes, add an organic quality to the otherwise structured arrangement. The tabletop is cluttered yet thoughtfully composed, featuring additional objects like a clear, faceted glass bowl, a small bottle, and books or pads in striking red and green. The dynamic use of color blocks and the juxtaposition of shapes (round pots against rectangular books) create a sense of rhythm and harmony. The background is darker and less defined, emphasizing the brightly lit tabletop. Church's brushwork is gestural and modernist, leaning toward abstraction, challenging traditional still life conventions. This painting reflects Church’s interest in balancing everyday objects with bold artistic expression. It conveys both the simplicity and complexity of daily life, transforming an ordinary moment into a vibrant and engaging work of art. This work is oil on canvas and is signed and dated in the lower right. It is housed in its original gessoed frame and retains various labels and inscriptions on the reverse. Size: 28.25 inches tall by 36 inches wide (painting) 34 inches tall by 42 inches wide by 2 inches deep (frame) Provenance: Private collection, NY; Acquired from the above About the artist: Born in Highgate, north London, Katharine Church, known as ‘Kitty’ amongst friends and family, always wanted to paint. She trained at the Royal Academy of Arts between 1930-1933 and at the Slade between 1933 and 1934. In her early years Kitty exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy. Her first solo exhibition was in 1933 at the Wertheim Gallery. Other artists who exhibited there included Christopher Wood, Victor Pasmore and Cedric Morris. Kitty also showed with the New English Art Club, the London Group and between 1937-1947 her work was exhibited at the influential Lefevre Gallery, which supported avant-garde artists such as Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth. In 1954 the artist was invited to take part in the Figures in their setting exhibition held at the Tate Gallery. Henry Tonks and Philip Wilson Steer had a strong influence on Kitty’s early work, but it was her friendship with Ivon Hitchens that liberated her painting technique. In 1936 Kitty married Anthony West, the son of writers Rebecca West and H.G. Wells. The couple initially lived in London before moving to Quarry Farm, Chicksgrove, Tisbury, near Salisbury, where they brought up their children Caroline and Edmund. There they hosted many of their friends, including the New Zealand painter Frances Hodgkins. Other regular visitors before the War included John and Mywafany Piper, Ralph and Frances Partridge, Noel and Catharine Carrington, Julian Trevelyan and Mary Fedden. For many of those who visited Kitty would organise painting expeditions. After the war Kitty and Anthony separated, with Anthony moving to the United States. Anthony West moved to the United States to work as a journalist for The New Yorker. In the early years after their parting Kitty visited most years with the children. In the 1960s Kitty purchased Sutton House and ran the Hambledon Gallery at Blandford Forum. There she promoted the work of her early art-school friends Mary Fedden and Julian Trevelyan, alongside work by the Pipers, John Craxton...

Marianne Loir (Paris 1705 – Paris 1783) Presumed Portrait of Jean-Jacques-Blaise Baloin de Belvèse, Baron de Vennac (?-1781) Oil on oval canvas H. 54.5 cm; W. 46 cm Unsigned Grandda...

WPA Mural Study American Scene Social Realism Mid 20th Century Modern Workers Seymour Fogel (1911-1984) Mural Study, untitled 11 x 49 1/4 inches (sight) Tempera on board Provenance:...

Building the 6th Avenue Subway NYC WPA American Scene Industrial Men Working Cecil Bell (1906-1970) Building the 6th Avenue Subway 22x 30 inches Egg Temera on board Signed and dated...

Larry Day (American, 1921-1998) Still Life with Decanter Oil on canvas, 33 3/4 x 41 3/ 4 inches FRAMED: 41 x 49 inches (approx.) Signed at lower right: “Day” Exhibition label on str...

Central Park NYC Mid-20th Century American Scene Modernism WPA Realism Cityscape Adolph Dehn (1985-1968) "Central Park: People, Rocks & Hills" Casin on board 22 x 30 inches Signed ...

Nicolas de LARGILLIERRE (Paris 1656 – 1746) Portrait of Marie-Anne de Bourbon, Princess of Conti (1666-1739) Oil on oval canvas H. 80 cm; L. 61 cm (107 x 91 cm for frame) Unsigned P...

Oil on unlined canvas, stamped 26 x 21¼ inches; 66.5 x 54 cm Framed dimensions: 95.5 x 83.5 cm ‘Wood & Co 190 Brompton Road London SW’ Signed with monogram and dated ‘1878’, centr...

Nicolas de LARGILLIERRE (Paris 1656 - 1746) Portrait of Louis-Urbain Le Peletier, Marquis de Rosanbo, Master of Requests (1662-1730) Oil on canvas H. 75 cm; L. 60 cm Unsigned Proven...

About this work: Painted in 1882, this work is an intimate jewel by Edward John Gregory, combining his celebrated command of figure painting with the richly appointed interior of the...

Elisabeth DUJARRIC de LA RIVIÈRE (Jouy-en-Josas 1930 – Excideuil 2005) Artist's self-portrait Oil on canvas H. 171 cm; L. 70 cm Signed on the back Provenance: Private collection, Périgord Born in the heart of the Bièvre valley, a few kilometers from Versailles...