Daniel Goddard - Blog

Primary Source Historical Portraits

2009-04-03T15:21:05.213+01:00

It is rare to find true primary source historical material. Thankfully it does happen, Time Team find some most weeks! and here is a great example in our auction sale.

In these two early Victorian family portraits the artist, John Bridges has not only produced strong figure studies which become family records, but has included a wealth of historical information within the interiors, none more so than the inclusion of a small circular continental stool which is featured in two family portraits, one of 'Little Betsie' Spiers as a girl in fancy dress painted in 1845 and one of Mrs Richard James Spiers with her baby son painted in 1836.

The stool could have been acquired on a Grand Tour or perhaps bought from an importer. However it came to England it was surely an admired and treasured family possession and to complete the historical circle the very same stool will be sold together in the same sale as the two family portraits on 23 April 2009 in Exeter. The portraits are estimates at £600-800 each and the stool is expected to make £150-250

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Painting by Welsh Artist Claudia Williams

2009-04-03T14:08:45.776+01:00

I am really intrigued and drawn to this post-modern social realist painting by the Welsh artist Claudia Williams.

Williams was born in Surrey in 1933 and in 1949 she entered the National Exhibition of Children's Art at the Royal Institute Galleries. Over 46,000 children entered the competition and the judges, headed by John Rothenstein (Director of The Tate Gallery) and Herbert Read (President of the Society for Education Through Art), were unanimous in their decision to give the principal award to Claudia Williams.

In 1984, she and her artist husband Gwilym Prichard, sold their home in Snowdonia and headed across Europe by car, for the island of Skiathos where they had the opportunity to look after a friend's dog, with free accommodation for the winter. After subsequently settling for a time in France, in 2001 they returned to Tenby.

Family life is an enduring theme for Claudia Williams. Her paintings are based on human relationships and figures in close proximity. She recognises and explores the limitations imposed by domestic circumstances and the domestic daily routines of women and children provide an opportunity for paintings that focus on social interaction. Williams has a particular sensibility towards the human condition which is combined with a sense of design, sensitive handling of colour and confident figure drawing. All this is evident in the painting illustrated here Children Reading, estimate £500-700 and to be sold on 23 April 2009 in Exeter.

Oil painting by Claudia Williams. Estimate £500-700.

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Robert Lenkiewicz - Esther in Orange and Red Dress

2009-04-03T13:58:59.448+01:00

This is a dramatic, powerful and provocative painting which supports a view that Lenkiewicz was an outstanding figure painter. Esther in Orange and Red Dress is part of Project 18; The Painter with Women.

It is inscribed extensively on the reverse by Lenkiewicz with references to the Daemon Series – St Anthony Theme which addresses temptation and addiction. There is a further reference by the Painter to the theme of the Double where the identity of ‘oneself’ is reflected and exists in the ‘other’.

The estimate for this Lenkiewicz painting is £15,000-20,000 and it is offered on 23 April 2009 in Exeter together with 11 other Lenkiewicz originals with estimates from £1,000-£20,000.

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Beryl Cook – "Does my bum look big in this?"

2009-04-03T13:49:47.135+01:00

This is the first original Beryl Cook painting we have sold and it will make an important addition to the strong group of paintings by major 20th Century British artists like Robert Lenkiewicz, Fred Yates and Dorothea Sharp, all of whom have a connection to the West Country and all of whom are represented in our forthcoming sale.

We have sold prints by Beryl Cook but, since Cook died, her work has not really ‘taken off’ and two major paintings, Rialto Bridge, Venice and The Vicars’s Tea Party, that were both offered in London, each just made their reserves at £20,000 and £25,000 respectively.

The painting offered here, Mop Heads, which is typically iconic, jolly and animated, has an estimate of £15,000-20,000 and will go under the hammer on Thursday 23 April. It is a great opportunity to buy a Beryl Cook original which, I think, would be a great addition to an ambitious private collection

Beryl Cook, original oil painting called 'Mop Heads'.
Estimate £15,000-20,000 for sale 23 April 2009.

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Portrait of Captain Randolph Charles Wilson by Henry Tidey

2009-01-10T09:55:30.625+00:00

Henry F. Tidey was a miniature and portrait painter who exhibited several dozen times at The Royal Academy from 1839-1869. This watercolour portrait of the handsome young army officer Captain Randolph Charles Wilson was painted in 1852. There is a record of a ‘Captain Randolph, Grenadier Guards’ being hung at The Royal Academy in 1853. Could this be one and the same? It is a nice example of how a portrait has a story to tell. The sale is this Wednesday 14th January 2009, and the estimate is £100-200.

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Irish Landscape Paintings by Alan Kenny

2009-01-09T12:52:25.125+00:00

Good Irish landscape paintings have character and quality and there are a number of highly regarded Irish painters from the 20th Century. Paul Henry (1876-1958) is the obvious example. Henry depicted nature as awe inspiring and powerful, and major paintings by Paul Henry regularly fetch six-figure sums. On 25 February 2009, I would expect more affordable prices when we offer two views by the Irish artist Alan Kenny which are in the tradition of the Irish landscape with nature as the dominant subject. The oil paintings illustrated are entitled Glencolmkille, Co Donegal and Part of Twelve Bens, Connemara. Both are signed, the largest measures 51 x 76cm and each is estimated at £300-500

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The Acropolis painted by Angelos Giallina

2009-01-08T15:58:29.043+00:00

Pictures of the Greek Islands, Corfu and the mainland are popular and whenever we have one in an auction sale there is interest, particularly from collectors in Greece (surprise, surprise!). This pleasing watercolour of The Acropolis was painted by Angelos Giallina (1857-1939). The colours are fresh and the artist has skillfully lit the ruins and statutory in the foreground. The estimate is £600-900 and the watercolour will be offered on 29 January 2009.

Watercolour of The Acropolis painted by Angelos Giallina (1857-1939).

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Lenkiewicz Painting for Sale

2009-01-02T15:48:07.752+00:00

Here is an opportunity to buy a small original Lenkiewicz oil painting. This 11.5 x 16cm portrait study by Lenkiewicz will be offered in our auction sale on 25th February 2009. This is an early portrait of a young man from the 1960s, when Lenkiewicz lived in London and the subject is likely to be a character from the Loft Café in Hampstead. It is a strong character study, confidently painted in bold colours. It has been very nicely framed and is ready to be hung. It will be interesting to see what it makes in the sale. The estimate is £200-£300.

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Drawings and Sketches by Robert Lenkiewicz

2008-12-11T18:10:35.515+00:00

Some of the drawings and sketches by Robert Lenkiewicz that were sold in large folio groups in the Lenkiewicz Studio Sale 2008 have been re-offered for sale this month at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood in Exeter. The drawings by Lenkiewicz had been removed from their folios and individually mounted and framed to a nice standard. I would estimate the framing cost of each to be in the region of £50.

Robert O Lenkiewicz (1941-2002)
Cartoon drawing of a bird and a chick arguing over a perch pen and black ink on a diary page 30 x 19.5cm
18 NOVEMBER 2008 SOLD FOR £160

The drawings were largely early, from the late 60s and 70s, mostly made while Lenkiewicz was still in London. They were quick ink sketches of horses, some anatomical examples and figure studies. We put realistic and sensible estimates in the range £80-150 on each of the framed drawings and, with one exception, they all sold within estimate, typically in the £70-100 range. I expect to see more of these minor Lenkiewicz works coming to the market next year and it will be interesting to watch how the market and Lenkiewicz collectors respond.

Robert O Lenkiewicz (1941-2002)
Anatomical study
black ink drawing
27.5 x 18cm
18 NOVEMBER 2008 SOLD FOR £80

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