William Arthur Devis

Portrait of a Girl with Book, 18th Century Regency Oil Painting

Oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right 1882 Image size: 36 x 29 inches (92 x 74 cm) Gilt Watts frame LITERATURE The Life and Work of Frank Holl, Ada ...

Oil on canvas c.1855 - 1860 Image size: 19 x 14 inches (48.25 x 37.25 cm) Original Watts frame The Sitter Herbert William Fisher (1826 - 1903) was a British historian, best known for his 'Considerations on the Origin of the American War' (1865). Fisher was tutor to the future King Edward VII, and served as Private Secretary to the 5th Duke of Newcastle. in 1863 he became Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales, his former pupil, before being appointed to the position of Vice-Warden of the Stannaries in 1870. One of his daughters, Adeline, married Ralph Vaughan Williams. George Frederick Watts Watts (1817 - 1904) was a British painter and sculptor associated with the Symbolist movement. He is known to have said 'I paint ideas, not things'. Watts became famous in his lifetime for his allegorical works, such as 'Hope' and 'Love and Life' in which the emotions and aspiration life were intended to be represented in a universal symbolic language. Watts was born in Marylebone in central London on the birthday of George Frederic Handel (after whom he was named), to the second wife of a poor piano-maker. He showed artistic promise very early, learning sculpture from the age of 10 with William Behnes, starting to study devotedly the Elgin Marbles (later writing "It was from them alone that I learned") and then enrolling as a student at the Royal Academy Schools at the age of 18. He first exhibited at the Academy in 1837, with a picture of "The Wounded Heron" and two portraits, but his attendance at the Academy was short-lived, and his further art education was confined to personal experiment and endeavour, guided by a constant appeal to the standard of ancient Greek sculpture. He also began his portraiture career, receiving patronage from his close contemporary Alexander Constantine Ionides, who later came to be a close friend. In 1849 the first two of the allegorical compositions which form the most characteristic of the artist's productions were exhibited—"Life's Illusions," an elaborate presentment of the vanity of human desires, and "The people that sat in darkness," turning eagerly towards the growing dawn. In 1850 he first gave public expression to his intense longing to improve the condition of humanity in the picture of "The Good Samaritan" bending over the wounded traveller; this, as recorded in the catalogue of the Royal Academy, was "painted as an expression of the artist's admiration and respect for the noble philanthropy of Thomas Wright, of Manchester," and to that city he presented the work. From the late 1840s onward he painted many portraits in France and England, some of which are described below. Notable pictures of the same period are “Sir Galahad...

Slade School Late 19th Century Portrait of a Mary Hardy (nee Sulman) Oil on panel Image size: 8 x 7 inches Contemporary frame Provenance Lady Town (Grandda...

John Riley 1646 – 1691 Portrait of William Chiffinch (c.1602-88) Oil on canvas Image size: 30 x 25 inches Original frame Another version of this can be found in the Dulwich Pictur...

"The Badminton Player" French School, 19th century oil painting on canvas, framed painting: 24 x 14 inches framed: 28.5 x 18.5 inches Very rare early portrayal of a young badminton...

Josef Zenisek (1855–1944) Portrait of a Young Woman with Red Scarf, circa 1900 Oil on canvas Signed lower left This beautifully rendered portrait by Josef Zenisek captures the pois...

Portrait of a Noble Lady English School, circa 1820's-1930's period oil on canvas, unframed painting: 35 x 28 inches provenance: private collection, London condition: some old restor...

Portrait of "H.C" aged 44 years old French artist, indistinctly signed dated 1896 oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 24 x 20 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: old...