Old Masters Art

A delightful large oil on canvas of a wooded landscape which dates to circa 1830 and is attributed to Irish artist James Arthur O’Connor. A superb painting and an excellent example o...

The Prodigal Son Among Courtesans Attributed to Hieronymus Francken II (Antwerp 1578-1623) Early 17th century Antwerp school Oil on oak panel, Dimensions: H. 52.5 cm (20.67 in), W. 74 cm (29.14 in) Flemish-style moulded wood frame Frame: h. 78 cm (h. 30.70 in.), w. 100 cm (39.37 in.) At first glance, this festive and joyful painting depicts a group of elegantly dressed people dancing to the sound of an orchestra in a richly decorated interior with a wide opening onto a rural exterior. However, the real theme is cleverly concealed by the painter and is only discernible through the artifice of a small scene in the background where we see a half-naked man, in the company of the pigs next to a makeshift shelter. In fact, beyond the pleasant and apparently superficial character of the painting, it is a subject taken from the parable of the prodigal son in the Gospel. The illustrated episode is the prodigal son among courtesans. Even if the viewer's attention is drawn to the central couple (prodigal son embracing a pretty courtesan) doing the dance steps, the artist takes care in a narrative approach of all the groups and ancillary scenes in order to create a rich and varied composition. Thus the musicians seated on a raised platform are depicted with great skill, their faces animated, their clothes abundantly varied. The theme of music, which has always been associated with that of sensuality and physical love, helps to exacerbate licentious pleasures. The merry company dances "Spanish pavane", a slow court dance from the sixteenth century, danced close to the ground by couples arranged in a procession, which was probably introduced to the south of the Netherlands around 1600 during the governance of Albrecht VII and the daughter of the King of Spain Isabella Clara Eugenia in Brussels. The interior of the house is also carefully elaborated, the embossed leather dyes on the walls, the middle sideboard (typical in Francken interiors), where the rich gold and silver crockery is placed in front of the painting "Andromeda chained to the rock and Perseus arriving to rescue her". The inclusion of a contemporary and probably extant pictorial work is also one of the characteristics of the Francken family, among them Frans Francken the Younger...

This charming British early 19th century portrait oil painting is attributed to circle of Sir William Etty and is masterfully portrayed with beautiful pre Impressionist impasto. Pain...

"L'Apparition (The Vision)" is an original etching by Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellee). This print depicts a religious vision near the edge of a river. The publisher is Mannocci #5 and...

This lovely British Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Sir George Kneller. Painted circa 1680 it is a half length portrait in a feigned oval of a lady in...

The sitter is elegantly attired in a blue silk dress over a white frilled chemise and a striking crimson mantle. The artist, Thomas Murray, can be described as one of the most successful and talented during the last part of the seventeenth century. It is not surprising that Murray painted the portraits of King William III, Queen Mary, Queen Ann as well as several other high-ranking individuals. The influence of Sir Godfrey Kneller is evident and even expected considering the importance of Kneller, and even though the formula employed for head and shoulders portraits of woman during the period is similar, Murray’s work is distinguishable by a refined and elegant manner, a smooth overall feel, and often, distinctive eyes. Murray is known to have employed not only the same pattern as our portrait but the three distinctive colours (blue, white, red) many times. Thomas Murray was born in Scotland but moved to London to study with a member of the De Critz family. Later he was a pupil of the English portraitist John Riley (1646-1691), who was court painter to King William III and Queen Mary, and was practising as a painter on his own in the 1680s. In 1691 he took over Riley’s studio when that artist died in 1691 and he established a very successful practice. The Rev, James Dalloway accounted that Murray “was remarkable for his personal beauty and for the elegance of his manner” and he was also noted to have been hard working, courteous and popular with his customers. His portraiture retains an individual style and easily recognised but his earlier work is similar to John Closterman, who was a fellow pupil, and many consider this period to be his finest. Murray invested wisely in property and when he died in 1735, he left around £40,000. He had no children and he bequeathed his money to a nephew with instructions that his monument, with a bust, should be erected in Westminster Abbey, provided that it did not cost too much – but his nephew decided that it was indeed “too expensive” and the plan did not proceed. He is buried in St. Paul's, Covent Garden. Murray’s work is represented in many British country houses and private collections, the National Portrait Gallery London, Royal Society and Middle Temple in London, and in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. A good example of 17th century British portraiture...

This charming 18th century Old Master cartouche portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Philip Mercier. Painted circa 1740 the composition is a three quarter length portrait of a young girl holding a wicker basket of flowers. She is clothed in a white dress and beautiful blue silk shawl and is situated in a landscape. A very lovely British Old Master portrait oil painting. Provenance. Christies. Condition. Oil on canvas, 30 inches by 25 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt carved 18th century frame, 38 inches by 33 inches and in good condition. Philippe Mercier (also known as Philip Mercier; 1689-1760) was a French painter and etcher, who lived principally and was active in England. He was born in Berlin of French extraction, the son of a Huguenot tapestry-worker. He studied painting at the Akademie der Wissenschaften of Berlin and later under Antoine Pesne, who had arrived in Berlin in 1710. Later, he travelled in Italy and France before arriving in London—"recommended by the Court at Hannover"—probably in 1716. He married in London in 1719 and lived in Leicester Fields. He was appointed principal painter and librarian to the Prince and Princess of Wales at their independent establishment in Leicester Fields, and while he was in favour he painted various portraits of...

Giovanni Ghisolfi (Milan 1623 - 1683) Architectural capriccio with ruins of an Ionic temple Oil painting on canvas 73 x 87 cm., within a gilded wooden frame 87 x 100 cm. This quali...

French school of the early 18th century Jean-Baptiste MONNOYER (Entourage de) Lille, 1636 – London, 1699 Oil on canvas laid down on panel 55 x 39 cm (67 x 53 cm with the frame) Very good condition (a few repaints) This is an old canvas , close to Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer art. The good quality and the style indicates probably a date at the end of the 17th century or the beginning of the 18th century. The painting represents a bouquet of tulips, carnations, poppies of Christmas roses. It is an artificial composition and a very symbolic work. The red and white tulip is the symbol of passionate and pure love. The poppy flower is the symbol of dreams and rest. And the Christmas rose is both associated with Christmas and therefore with Incarnate Love. But the latter is also associated with black magic, its botanical name is "black hellebore" and it contains poison that burns. The poppy has been known since ancient times for its soporific, analgesic and narcotic effects. And the red carnation symbolizes pure and ardent love. So this painting has a meaning. It seems to symbolize love and its contradictions between purity, calm, rest, danger and passion ! An entablature and a decorative element on the right (a piece of column...

This very busy oil on panel is a Dutch Old Master painting dating to around 1620 by artist and poet Willem van Nieulandt. It is an incredibly detailed and colourful scene composed of...

This stunning large 19th century landscape oil painting is attributed to follower of Joseph Turner, possible George William Mote. Painted circa 1850 it is a panoramic landscape loo...

"La Fuite en Egypte (The Flight into Egypt)" is an original etching by Claude Lorrain (Claude Gelee). This piece depicts the biblical story of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus goin...

Rest during the Flight into Egypt - The Virgin and Child with St. John the Baptist and the angels in a Landscape. Attributed to Pieter Van Avont (1600-1652) 17th century Antwerp School, circa 1630 Oil on oak panel, Dimensions: h. 38 cm, w. 50 cm (14.96 in x 19.68 in) Flemish style frame in ebonized and moulded wood Framed: h. 56 cm, w. 68.5 cm (22.04 in. x 26.97 in.) In the heart of a lush wooded landscape, the Virgin with Jesus rests in a green clearing accompanied by Saint John the Baptist and the cherubs. Seated to the left of the composition, the Virgin Mary holds the Child on her lap; the little Saint John the Baptist wearing the camel-skin tunic (his attribute) stands before Jesus to exchange a few caresses. On the right, the couple of cherubs are playing with the lamb of Saint John the Baptist, bringing a jovial character to the scene. A pair of gardening putti on the left pick flowers to bring bouquets to the Virgin and Jesus. Spring flowers such as tulips, daffodils and anemones that grow abundantly around them and enrich the composition with their shimmering colors. A lush rose bush blooms to the left of the figures offering delicate roses. (The rose is the flower associated with the Virgin Mary, who is the "mystical rose," the one that does not bear the "thorn of sin") At the feet of the Virgin are bunches of grapes (symbol of the future passion of Christ) as well as apples (symbol of the original fall of Man but also of the Redemption in Christ) In the foreground we find a wicker basket filled in profusion with beautiful flowers and guinea pigs nibbling on the blades of grass. In a cleverly arranged disorder, these elements of the still life with their strong symbolic power accentuate the religious theme, but are also an opportunity for the artist to demonstrate his know-how in the still life genre that is gaining momentum in Antwerp. The landscape behind the figures consists of a large tree with a twisted trunk and a luminous opening to the horizon placed on the right. We see Saint Joseph arriving with a donkey, a small reminder from the artist that the composition is associated with the episode of Rest during the flight into Egypt. The calm expanse of this bucolic forest opening onto the luminous distance, with its profusion of symbolic flowers and fruits, is particularly suited to this sacred scene. The theme of Jesus' sacrifice and his tragic fate is mitigated by cherubs who play with innocence and carelessness in the face of the fragility of life symbolized by cut flowers. The great mastery of the painter is manifested by the finesse of the drawing enhanced by the delicacy in the application of the brushstrokes bringing a multitude of details. The richness of the whole is exacerbated thanks to the choice of colours, this varied palette is an undeniable asset of our work. The virtuosity of our artist lies in his versatility, as much concerned with the success of the landscape and flowers as with the modelling of his figures. The cherubs with their naked bodies are gracefully illuminated by warm colours with subtle shadows, while the still life is rendered with astonishing realism, both in the precision of the drawing and in the countless shades of the flowers. There are several compositions similar to ours, of which below are the closest versions: • Sale, Jean-Claude Anaf et Associés, Lyon, 08/02/1998, attributed to Pieter Van Avont, oil on panel, h. 48 cm, l. 71 cm (recorded on RKD n° 31451). Comment: identical composition, only St Joseph with the donkey is different) • Christie's New York sale, 29/01/1998, Pieter Van Avont, oil on copper, h. 23.8 cm, w. 24.8 cm • Dorotheum sale, Vienna, 25/04/2017, Pieter Van Avont and Jan Breughel II, oil on copper, h .26 cm, w. 39 cm • Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia, Pieter Van Avont, oil on panel, h. 50.5 cm, w. 71.7 cm Peter van Avont, Flemish painter (Mechelen, 1600 - Antwerp. 1652) Born in Mechelen, he is mentioned in 1620 as a member of the painters' guild of his hometown. He left in 1 622 for Antwerp, where he was also a member of the guild. He collaborated with many painters, including Jan Brueguel the Younger, David Vinckboons, Lucas van Uden...

"Le Patre et la Bergere (The Herdsman & Shepherdess)" is an etching by Claude Gellee (Le Lorrain). This etching is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum and the British Museu...

This lovely 18th century Old Master portrait oil painting is by noted British artist Francis Cotes. It was painted circa 1760 when Cotes was preferring oil as a medium and comparison...

Italian painter (18th century) - Flagellation. 17 x 15 cm without frame, 21 x 19 cm with frame. Ancient alium painting on copper, in a gilded wooden frame. Condition report: The m...

St. Peter's Interior with the Nave Veduta interna della Basilica di S. Pietro in Vaticano Etching, 1748 Signed in the plate From: Vedute di Roma, Plate 5 An early Roman...

"Scene de Brigands" is an etching by Claude Gellee (Le Lorrain). This etching is in the collections of the Louvre and the Art Institute of Chicago. Publisher: Mannocci #11. 5" x 7...

Veduta dell'esterno della gran Basilica di S. Pietro in Vaticano (View of the Exterior of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican) Etching, 1748 From the first printing of the "Vedute di...

This stunning Old Master oil painting is attributed to a follower of Anthony Van Dyck. Painted in the 18th century it is a superb large religious art work of the crucifixion of Chris...

Profusion of Flowers Classical Still Life Dutch School, 19th century oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 32 x 21 inches provenance: private collection condition: very good and sound con...

This simply stunning large Old Master landscape oil painting is attributed to noted Dutch artist Adriaen van Diest. Painted circa 1700 this Mediterranean Italian landscape painting h...

Studio of Miguel Canals, Spanish 1925-1995 Still life painting with flowers in a vase oil painting on canvas, framed oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 23 x...

Still Life of Fruit French School, mid 19th century indistinctly signed lower right corner oil on canvas laid on board, framed framed: 27 x 35 inches board: 25 x 33 inches provenance...

Carlo Grubacs (Perasto 1801 - Venice 1870) - Venice, pair of views of Piazza S. Marco and the Piazzetta towards the Clock Tower. 19 x 24 cm without frame, 25 x 30 cm with frame. An...

"La Tempete" is an original etching by Claude Lorrain (Claude Gellee). This is Claude's earliest dated etching (1630). The work depicts a storm-tossed sea with ships on the verge of ...

"Le Point de Bois (Rebecca & Eliezer)" is an etching by Claude Gellee (Le Lorrain). This etching is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum and the Louvre. Publisher: Mannocci ...

Joseph-Marie Vien (1716-1809) ‘Ambassadeur de Siam’ and ‘La Sultana Reine’ Both titled lower centre, the drawing of the ambassador inscribed with colours intended for the prints, e...

Richard Bankes Harraden (1778-1862) Italian landscape with Monte Socrate (after Jan Both) Signed and dated 1823 on the reverse Oil on canvas Canvas size - 29 x 41 in Framed Size - 37...

A portrait of Maximilien de Bethune, Duc de Sully, the Ambassador from Henry IV of France to James I of England; by Gerard Edelinck, after Franz Pourbus the Younger Etching on fine ...

Dusk Landscape British School, 18th century oil on canvas, unframed painting: 32 x 41 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition: very good and...

Carlo Grubacs (Perasto 1801 - Venice 1870) - Venice, pair of views of Piazza S. Marco and the Basin towards the Riva degli Schiavoni. 11 x 16 cm without frame, 29.5 x 34.5 cm with f...

The Military Encampment French Old Master, circa 1700 oil on canvas, framed framed: 20 x 27 inches canvas: 17.5 x 24 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very goo...

This wonderful 17th century Old Master religious oil painting is attributed to Dutch Golden Age artist Benjamin Gerritsz Cuyp. Painted circa 1633 it is entitled The Annunciation to t...

This superb 18th century Old Master floral still life oil painting is attributed to Flemish artist Pieter Casteels III. Painted circa 1730 it is a garland or swag of flowers, somethi...

The Classical Landscape English School, 18th century oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 34.5 x 36.5 inches provenance: private collection condition: very good and sound condi...

"La Danse Sous Les Arbes (The Country Dance)" is an etching by Claude Gellee (Le Lorrain). This etching is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum and the Louvre. Publisher: Ma...

Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and angels Circle of Joos Van Cleve (1485 – 1541) 16th century Antwerp school Oil on oak panel Dimensions: h. 32 cm (13 in.), w. 28.5 cm...

Ascension Day in Venice 17th century Antwerp School Louis de Caullery (1582-1621) Oil on oak panel Dimensions: h. 12.8 in, w. 23.03 in (h. 32,5 cm, w. 58,5 c...

This lovely Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Joseph Wright of Derby. Painted circa 1780 the painting is of a boy in a tunic and wide collar. A really c...

Portrait of Colonel William Helyar (1621-1698) and Rachel Helyar (c.1633-1678) c.1656 Circle of Robert Walker (act. 1637-1656) These fascinating portraits, presented by Titan Fine Art, depict Colonel William Helyar, High Sheriff of Somersetshire, and his wife Rachel Helyar nee Wyndham, a daughter and co-heiress of Sir Hugh Wyndham, 1st Baronet (died 1663) of Pilsden Court, Dorset. They are exquisite examples of portraiture during the Interregnum when England was under various forms of republican government. The history of the seventeenth century is in part the story of the Stewarts and their approach to government and the church; their ebbing and flowing popularity and the disastrous decisions that led to Civil War. But another fascinating dynasty also ruled Britain: the Cromwell’s. Between 1653 and 1659, following the Civil Wars and experimental Commonwealth, Oliver Cromwell governed as Lord Protector followed by his son Richard. Cromwell’s Protectorate is usually imagined as a grey, joyless, military regime. But the reality was rather different. Cromwell presided over a colourful and fashionable court where music and the arts flourished, masques were revived and the first English operas performed. Too often the London of the 1650s is painted as puritanical and repressive in contrast to the vivid, fun-loving capital of the Restoration. Yet, under Cromwell, this was the city where the first coffee houses were opening, where a young Samuel Pepys was embarking on his career as a civil servant with the patronage of one of Cromwell’s councillors and where Christopher Wren was enjoying his new Chair of astronomy at Gresham College, appointed after the personal intervention of Cromwell. When Cromwell was invested as Lord Protector for the second time in 1657, the lavish ceremony in Westminster Hall and procession through London matched any previous coronation for pageantry with thousands lining the streets, bells ringing, bonfires blazing and free French wine flowing through the city. The gentleman in our portrait is Colonel William Helyar (1621-1698), Sheriff of Somerset and as a Royalist during the English Civil War. As one of the most prominent old families of the South-West, the Helyar’s family roots in Somerset can be traced back to 1616 when the Reverend William Helyar (1559-1645), chaplain to Elizabeth I, who was also a cousin by marriage, purchased the family residence Coker Court in East Coker, Somerset. He married a Devonshire heiress and several estates were bestowed on him as a result. He was a warm supporter of Charles I in the Civil War and was in residence at Exeter in 1643 when the Parliamentarians pillaged the cathedral. Elderly as he was, he boldly resisted them, but was beaten, pelted with mud, and locked up in a ship in the port and only let out on payment of £800. He retired to Coker where he died in 1645. His eldest son Henry died in 1634 and he was succeeded by his grandson, Colonel William Helyar, the sitter in our portrait. Colonel Helyar raised a troop of horse for King Charles I and was a colonel in the king's army. He was at Exeter when it was captured by the Parliamentary forces in 1646 and thus deemed ‘Traitor to the Parliament’. His estates were sequestered, but they were returned and he was discharged and pardoned on payment of £1,522. During the Restoration he was a Sheriff and he also helped James II repel the Monmouth Rebellion. The companion portrait represents the Colonel’s wife, Rachel Helyar (baptised 24th June 1633 at St Mary Aldermanbury, London – died 1678). She was the youngest daughter and co-heir of Sir Hugh Wyndham, 1st Baronet of Pilsdon Court and Mary Wyndham nee Alanson (Sir Hugh should not be confused with his first cousin once removed from Somerset, also Sir Hugh Wyndham (bef. 1604 - 1684). Rachel is a thirteenth generation descendant of King Henry III. The couple resided at the family seat of Coker Court (interestingly, within the churchyard, lie the remains of the poet T.S. Eliot who once wrote a poem about East Coker). A marriage settlement in extant shows that the couple were married in 1656; the portraits were most likely painted to mark this important event in the sitter’s lives. Rachel holds roses, the flower of love, and the putto pouring water is representative of her purity, and possibly, the plighting of troth. Colonel Helyar wears a gold wedding band. The couple had four sons: George, William (MP) (1662-1742), John, and Richard. Colonel Helyar died in December 1697 and was buried at Whitechurch, Dorset 2 Jan 1698. This period in which this portrait was painted was known as the Protectorate (1653-1659). This period offered relative peace, as the English Civil War ended in 1651. It was an interesting time for portraiture in England and Scotland – in between the great artistic geniuses and dominance of Van Dyke and Peter Lely. Much of the foreign-born artistic talent had fled England and Scotland during the Civil War and the artists that had remained were in great demand, in part due to the newly exposed strata of society wishing to be painted. Sitters on both sides were depicted in portraits in very similar ways. They are not, on the whole, shown as the Roundheads and Cavaliers of popular history. In fact, it is usually impossible to guess their political allegiances from the style of their portrait and their Parliamentarian and royalist iconographies, as portraits on both sides followed the same conventions and looked identical. Colonel Helyar has been depicted in armour and holding a Marshal’s baton of command, confirming his status. There is a great sense of realism and a particular delicacy, note the finely rendered hand resting on the rapier. Rachel is wearing a satin dress with expansive sleeves and a crimson drapery over her shoulder and held up by her left hand. She wears large pearl...

"Shepherd and Shepherdess Conversing in a Landscape (Berger et Bergere Conversant)" is an etching by Claude Gellee (Le Lorrain). This etching is in the collections of the Metropolita...

The Ponte and Castel S. Angelo Veduta del Ponte e Castello Sant' Angelo Etching, 1754 Signed in the plate lower right above the caption From: Vedute di Roma A proper Roman printing with the price in the lower right corner. Printed on a Double Circle Fleur de Lys watermark paper, c. 1760, with full margins. A brilliant impression . Note: A view of the Tiber River, Castello Sant' Angelo and St. Peter's Basilica in the distance. Watermark: Double Circle Fleur de Lys References: Robison c/g Hind 29 ii/VII Foclllon 793 Condition: A Roman printing before the numbers added in Paris. Printed on a Double Circle Fleur-de-Lys watermark paper. Right margin folded over 5/8 inches for framing. Usual centerfold as issued in the album. Slight aging to the sheet. Binding holes at the left margin edge Framed with plexi. Plate size: 14 7/8 x 22 7/8 inches Sheet size: 21 5/8 x 30 5/16 inches Frame size: 22 3/4 x 33 1/2 inches Sant’Angelo Bridge, Italian Ponte Sant’Angelo, ancient (Latin) Pons Aelius, ancient Roman bridge, probably the finest surviving in Rome itself, built over the Tiber by the emperor Hadrian (reigned 117–138 AD) to connect the Campus Martius with his mausoleum (later renamed Castel Sant’Angelo). The bridge was completed about AD 135. It consists of seven stone arches and five main spans of about 60 feet (18 m) each, supported on piers 24 feet (7 m) high. In the 13th century Pope Clement IV installed an iron balustrade and in the 16th century Pope Clement VII placed statues of Saints Peter and Paul...

This superb Dutch Golden Age Old Master landscape oil painting is attributed to Jacob van der Croos. Painted circa 1670 it is an Italianate landscape with figures and their animals i...

The Close of Day Italian School, early 18th century oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 17 x 22.5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very good and sound condition

An original, very large Dutch Old Master oil on canvas which is attributed to circle of Jan Wijnants and was painted circa 1680. The huge canvas is in good clean condition and depicts a wooded landscape with travellers passing through. A delightful very large country house old master painting. Provenance. Private collection, Christies. Condition. Oil on canvas. Very large, image size is 53 inches by 41 inches and in good clean condition. Framed size is 63 by 51 inches. The carved original 17th Century wood frame...

"Le Temps, Apollon, et les Saisons (Time, Apollo, and the Seasons)" is an etching by Claude Gellée (Le Lorrain). This etching is the Fifth state (A). This state is also in collections in Paris (BN, L, PP) and Washington; Mannocci cat. no. 43. The inscription reads: "Apollo in atto di obedire al tempo. La Primavera a cominciare il ballo. Lestate no manca del suo calore. L'aurunno colsuo licore / Seguita. Linvernno tiene la sua staggione, Claudio Gillee inven.Fec.Roma 1662 con licenza de super." A powerful example of Claude's staging of landscape in the classical manner is the etching "Time, Apollo, and the Seasons," done in 1662 after Poussin's painting of 1624-1636, "Dance to the Music of Time...

Work on canvas

This lovely 17th century Old Master religious oil painting is from the Italian School. The subject is Joseph in prison interpreting the dreams of Pharoah's Baker and Butler. The bars...

This charming British Old Master Regency pastel portrait is attributed to John Russell RA. Painted circa 1790 the composition is a blonde woman in pretty mob cap with a blue ribbon. A really lovely image. Provenance. Oxford estate. Condition. Oil pastel on paper, 23 inches by 19 inches unframed and in good condition but has line in paper in middle. Frame. Housed in a fine frame, 30 inches by 26 inches framed and in good condition. John Russell RA (1745-1806) was an English painter renowned for his portrait work in oils and pastels, and as a writer and teacher of painting techniques. Russell was born in Guildford, Surrey, the son of John Russell Snr., book and print seller and five times mayor of the town; his father was something of an artist, and drew and published two views of Guildford. Russell was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford, and soon showed a strong inclination for art. He trained under Francis Cotes RA (of Cavendish Square, London), one of the pioneers of English pastel painting, and, like Cotes, was an admirer of the pastel drawings of Rosalba Carriera whose methods influenced his technique of "sweetening". At the age of 19 he converted to Methodism, which was the cause of tension with his family and with his teacher; he made no secret of his strong evangelical leanings and would attempt to preach and convert at every opportunity. Russell set up his own studio, in London, in 1767. He made the acquaintance of the notorious Dr. William Dodd, whose portrait he painted in 1768. He was introduced to Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, who unsuccessfully attempted to persuade him to give up painting and attend her Methodist ministers' training college at Trevecca in Wales. On 5 February 1770, he married Hannah Faden, daughter of a Charing Cross print and map seller...

This stunning Old Master 18th century portrait oil painting has previously been attributed to Sir Peter Paul Rubens. Indeed the sitter, Helena Fourment or Hélène Fourment (11 April 1...

This interesting painting is a British Old Master late 18th century or early 19th century oil painting attributed to Thomas Barker of Bath. It is stylistically very similar to his ot...

This very interesting 18th/19th century Dutch oil painting is attributed to circle or follower of Bernardo Bellotto who was renowned for painting elaborate representations of archite...

Ornate Classical Fruit Still Life Italian School, 17th century oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 22 x 27 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition: very good and sound condi...

To see our other views of Oxford and Cambridge, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the ...

This superb large three quarter length British Old Master portrait in a landscape oil painting is attributed to circle of John Vanderbank the Younger. Painted circa 1738 the sitter is Mrs James Hoste of South Wootton and Sandringham, nee Hammond. She was the daughter of Anthony Hamond and Susan Walpole, daughter of Robert Walpole, and was sister to Robert, 1st Earl of Oxford. She married Major James Hoste of Sandringham, Norfolk, and they had two daughters. The sheen of her blue satin dress against her gold cloak is stunning. A really lovely 18th century portrait with excellent provenance. Inscribed with sitter details lower left. Provenance. By descent within the family of the sitter at West Acre High House, Norfolk; Cheffins, Cambridge, 'West Acre High House' sale, 24 November 2010, Lot 519; Wood Hall, Arkesden, Essex. Literature: 'Portraits in Norfolk Houses', Prince Duleep Singh, 1927, No. 36. Sitter's details on two labels verso. Condition. Oil on canvas, image size is 50 inches by 40 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt frame, 58 inches by 48 inches framed and in good condition. John Vanderbank (1694-1739) was an English portraitist and book illustrator, who enjoyed a high reputation for a short while during the reign of King George...

This lovely Dutch Old Master oil painting is attributed to artist Pieter Wouwerman. Painted circa 1660 it is figurative landscape with horseback travellers and their dogs in the foreground approaching ruins on their left. Beyond is a river snakes through the landscape, beneath the fading light of approaching dusk. There are some superb details making this an excellent Dutch Golden Age oil painting...

This stunning Neo Classical French 19th century landscape oil painting is by acclaimed French artist Jean Victor Bertin. He was also an early proponent of sketching out doors and dir...