Frank Bensing Paintings

"The Loch Keepers Cottage" by F. E. Jamieson (British 1895-1950) signed, lower corner oil painting on canvas, framed canvas: 16 x 24 inches framed: 20 x 28 inches Fine quality antiq...

The Guildhall, Worcester English School, mid 20th century indistinctly signed verso oil on canvas canvas: 20 x 24 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition: very good and sound condition The Worcester Guildhall was originally built as a meeting place for Worcester merchants around 1227. As with many other guildhalls, it became the centre for civic administration, a role it maintained after the merchant guild had disappeared. The present Worcester Guildhall is a superb Queen Anne building, begun in 1722 by Thomas White, a pupil of Sir Christopher Wren. White was badly paid for his efforts, and he died in poverty in 1738, bestowing the money he was owed on the Worcester Royal Infirmary. The city finally paid its debt in 1753. The exterior of the Guildhall is brick, dressed with stone. White himself is said to have carved the figure of Queen Anne over the entry, as well as those of Charles I and II, a reminder of the city's long history of royal support. The interior is superb, boasting exceptional period decoration. The Tourist Information Centre is now located in the Guildhall. HISTORY In 1227 Henry III granted the citizens of Worcester a royal charter granting them the right to establish a guild of merchants. The guild was responsible for controlling trade in the city, but their meeting place gradually became the main centre of administration for city government and acted as a courthouse. So, in effect, the Guildhall was the town hall, and though the city guilds have long since vanished, the Guildhall name lives on. The medieval guild merchants would not recognise the building that faces onto High Street now. Their guildhall was a large timber-framed building, occupying the same site, with a piazza for shops fronting the street, courts of justice at each end, and a prison to the north of the building. Part of the prison was a cell called 'the peephole', which gained a notorious reputation. There was a gaoler's house, and attached to it an alehouse from which the gaoler sold ale at extremely high prices to any prisoner who could afford the cost. In 1717 the city administration decided on a new Guildhall, and they knew just who to call; upon to build it. Thomas White was not an architect in the way we think of it today, but a stonemason. In 1705 he had carved a statue of Queen Anne to stand in front of the medieval Guildhall and was made a Freeman of the City. The total cost of the fashionable new red-brick building was £3727. The Corporation only put forward £800, and the rest had to be raised by public subscription. The centre section of the new Guildhall was finished by 1724 and has remained almost unchanged since then. The central facade is a wonderful example of early Georgian style, with three bays flanked by Corinthian pillars. Over the entrance is a huge carving incorporating the Hanoverian royal arms. White's earlier statue of Queen Anne was placed in a niche over the door, and on either side were statues of Charles I, depicted holding a church, and Charles II, with an orb and royal sceptre. On the rooftop are figures of Labour, Peace, Justice, Plenty, and Chastisement. North and south wings were added within a few years of the central block. The south wing was used as a judge's lodging when the assizes were taking place, but throughout the rest of the year it housed a coffee shop. The most striking external feature of the Guildhall is a set of iron gates...

Portrait of a Child with Pet Dog Italian School, early 1600's circle of Annibale Carracci (1560-1609) oil on canvas, framed Framed: 11.5 x 9 inches Board : 10.5 x 8.5 inches Provenan...

Menton, South of France signed by the Hungarian artist, Laslzo Ritter (1937-2003) oil on canvas, framed Framed: 22 x 28 inches Canvas : 18 x 24 inches Inscribed verso Provenance: pri...

Tobias & The Angel Flemish Baroque Old Master, circa 1600 circle of Paul Brill (Flemish 1554-1626) oil painting on canvas, 43.5 x 59.25 inches condition: very good, restored and read...

Tranquil Lochside with Highland Peaks by F. E. Jamieson (British 1895-1950) signed with the artists pseudonym oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 20 x 30 inches provenance: private colle...

"Dunkeld" by F. E. Jamieson (British 1895-1950) signed lower corner inscribed verso oil painting on canvas, framed canvas: 16 x 24 inches frame: 19 x 27 inches Fine quality antiqu...

Boat Expedition Italian School, early 1800's period oil on canvas, framed Framed: 19 x 23 inches Canvas : 18.5 x 22.5 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: the fr...

Superb French Impressionist oil painting on canvas depicting this lady walking along a beach, sheltering from the heat of the overhead sun. She carries a basket under her arm, possib...

Sunset over the Loch by F. E. Jamieson (British 1895-1950) signed lower corner oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 16 x 24 inches Fine quality antique oil painting by the much admired and celebrated British artist F. E. Jamieson (1895-1950). The painting captures this beautifully romantic view of the Scottish Highlands, with an extensive view over the loch waters. F. E. Jamieson (1895-1950) We are extremely fortunate to have been handling the works of the enigmatic British artist, F. E. Jamieson since the year we began art dealing, 1989. Over this time, coupled with our love of the Scottish landscape, we have bought and sold many hundreds of his paintings, in all their various guises and subjects and are considered by many to be a leading authority on the artist and his work. We are also in the early stages of publishing the Catalogue Raisonne for this artist, of which this painting will be featured. Mr. Jamieson was largely a painter of Scottish landscapes and loch scenes. Born in 1895, Jamieson lived on the south coast of England and was contracted to a large department store to supply them with his paintings. He was an ambitious man and keen to sell more works than through just one shop. In order to do this, he started to sign his works with pseudonyms other than his own name, in order that he could sell his work to a wider audience. It worked and it is considered that Jamieson at least 15 different pseudonym names on his paintings. In addition to selling through furniture shops, Jamieson would travel door to door offering his paintings to housewives and private buyers. In our years of researching the artist, we heard one story related to us by an old customer who remembers that Jamieson started selling door...

Figures before Far Reaching View attributed to William Alfred Delamotte (English, 1775-1863) oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 24 x 36 inches provenance: private collection, England c...

Self Portrait of the Artist French Impressionist painter of the late 19th century oil on canvas canvas: 11 x 9 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very good and ...