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Salisbury Hills
By Eric Brown
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas, signed lower right
Image size: 16 x 22 inches (41 x 56 cm)
Contemporary-style frame
Brown was born in 1894 in Salisbury. His father was William Lewis Brown (1864-192...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Salisbury Cathedral
By Eric Brown
Located in London, GB
Oil on board, signed lower right
Image size: 20 x 14 inches (51 x 35.5 cm)
Contemporary-style frame
Eric Pitt Brown was born in 1894 in Salisbury. His father (William Lewis Brown 1...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Country Lane
By Eric Brown
Located in London, GB
Oil on board, signed lower right
Image size: 7 ¾ x 10 ½ inches (20 x 26.5 cm)
Contemporary-style frame
Brown was born in 1894 in Salisbury. His father was William Lewis Brown (1864...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
$5,899
Autumn Afternoon
By Eric Brown
Located in London, GB
Oil on board
Image size: 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm)
Original frame
In this painting, Brown depicts a quaint farmhouse dwarfed by the rural setting around it. The rolling hills of ...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Salisbury Cathedral in Landscape
By Eric Brown
Located in London, GB
Oil on board, signed lower right
Image Size: 10 ½ x 14 (26.5 x 35.5 cm)
Gilt frame
One of Salisbury’s most celebrated sights is Salisbury Cathedral, a 13th century Anglican Cathedra...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Woodland Scene
By Eric Brown
Located in London, GB
Oil on board, signed bottom left
Image size: 10 ½ x 14 inches (26.8 x 35.6 cm)
Gilt frame
Brown was born in 1894 in Salisbury. His father was William Lewis Brown (1864-1922), who be...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
$5,505
Salisbury Plain
By Eric Brown
Located in London, GB
Oil on board, signed lower left
Image size: 8 ¾ x 12 inches (22.5 x 30.5 cm)
Contemporary-style frame
Brown was born in 1894 in Salisbury. His father was William Lewis Brown (1864-1...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Salisbury, England
By Eric Brown
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas, signed lower left
Image size: 20 ½ x 27 inches (52.5 x 69 cm)
Contemporary-style frame
Brown was born in 1894 in Salisbury. His father was William Lewis Brown (1864-...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$10,815
Portrait of the Artist
s Wife
By Peter Kuhfeld
Located in London, GB
Peter Kuhfeld
Portrait of the Artist's Wife
b. 1952
Oil on board, signed lower right, titled 'Cathryn' and dated 'Oct 1983' verso
Image size: 12 1/2 x 11 1/2 (32 x 29.3 cm)
Original...
Category
20th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
The Arab Horse Moscow
Located in London, GB
Henri Émilien Rousseau
French 1875 – 1933
Portrait of the Arabian Horse Moscow
Oil on board, signed lower left
Image size: 15 x 18 inches
This splendid rendition of the horse b...
Category
Early 20th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Portrait of Captain George Meek
Located in London, GB
William Roth
Born 1754
Portrait of Captain George Meek
Oil on canvas, signed & dated 1782 lower right
Image size: 25 x 18 ½ inches (64 x 47 cm)
Provenance
Murray Cassy
Jean Piere O...
Category
Late 18th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Lady in Blue
By Edward Bainbridge Copnall
Located in London, GB
Edward Bainbridge Copnall
Portrait of a Lady in Blue
1903-1973
Oil on canvas, signed lower left and dated '30'
Image Size: 24 x 20 inches (61 x 50.7 cm)
Contemporary style frame
Thi...
Category
20th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Ram and Small Lamb
By Mary Newcomb
Located in London, GB
Mary Newcomb
Ram and Small Lamb
1922-2008
Oil on panel, signed & dated twice lower left, signed and titled verso
Image size: 14 1/4 x 15 3/4 inches (36 x 40 cm)
Original frame
This ...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
An Allegory for Smell
Located in London, GB
Dutch School
An Allegory for Smell
17th Century
Oil on canvas
Image size: 19 x 14.5 cm
Dutch ebonised frame
This painting depicts a rather smelly scene - a young boy bent over his f...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Paintings
Materials
Oil, Oak, Panel
Sarah - Harmony in Red and Grey
By Ken Howard
Located in London, GB
Ken Howard
Sarah - Harmony in Red and Grey
1932-2022
Oil on canvas, signed lower right
Image size: 40 x 48 inches
Original frame
Provenance
Brian Sinfield Gallery, 1990
Private Est...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Young Man
By (After) Rembrandt van Rijn
Located in London, GB
Pupil of Rembrandt
Portrait of a Young Man
17th Century
Oil on oak panel
Image size: 4 1/4 x 5 inches (11 x 13 cm)
Dutch ebonised frame
This small portrait is of a young man, staring inquisitively out towards the viewer. The realism of his appearance is striking, with great care taken in the depiction of the man’s features - for example, his full lips and the slight bump in the bridge of his nose. The man wears a rich burgundy doublet and a black cap and is adorned with gold accessories, indicating a degree of wealth - it is likely that this is a miniature portrait for a wealthy patron. The warm flesh tones of this painting and the intricate rendering of the man’s curly brown hair demonstrate the artistry of the painter, who has successfully captured the image of youth within his brushstrokes.
Rembrandt’s Pupils
Upon completing his artistic education, Rembrandt opened a studio and began to take students - the first of which were Gerrit Dou and Isaac Jouderville. The studio functioned as an art school, in which materials and guidance were provided - contrary to the studios of his peers, Rembrandt did not offer lodging to his pupils. The families of prospective pupils had to pay Rembrandt 100 guilders (enough for a house at the time) for this artistic education, and the profits from any works produced by pupils under Rembrandt would be paid to the master rather than kept by the student-artist - this contributed substantially to the master’s income.When taking on pupils, Rembrandt looked for those who could already paint, and guided their styles to reflect his. By choosing pupils who were somewhat experienced artists, Rembrandt had an array of painters that could be involved at any stage of assisting with the creation of his works - in this way, Rembrandt’s pupils often functioned as studio assistants as well. In order to perfect Rembrandt’s style, pupils would paint copies of their teacher’s works, sometimes adding their own distinct variations. They would use the same subjects and models as Rembrandt himself, and would accompany him on outdoor trips to paint nature and landscapes. The extensive copying and utilisation of same source materials has rendered Rembrandt’s work and the work of his pupils difficult to differentiate, even in the modern era.At least 50 pupils were taught by Rembrandt, with many continuing on to become his studio assistants. A few graduated into successful artists in their own right - for example, Govaert Flinck...
Category
17th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oak, Oil, Panel
$15,337
Girl at the Window
By Adrian Paul Allinson
Located in London, GB
Adrian Paul Allinson
Girl at the Window
1890-1959
Oil on board, signed lower right
Image size: 35 x 28 inches (88.8 x 71 cm)
Contemporary style gilt frame
Provenance:
Art Exhibition...
Category
20th Century Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Portrait of a Lady
Located in London, GB
Gilbert Soest
1605-1681
Portrait of a Lady
Oil on canvas
Image size: 30 x 25 inches (76.2 x 63.5 cm)
Original carved gilt frame
Provenance
Private Estate, England
This portrait dep...
Category
17th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
A Summer
s Day
Located in London, GB
Louis-Charles Verwee
A Summer's Day
1832-1882
Oil on panel, signed lower left
Image size: 14 1/4 x 9 3/4 inches
Contemporary style giltwood frame
The subject matter of this painting...
Category
19th Century Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Portrait of Lady
Located in London, GB
John Westbrooke Chandler
1763- 1807
Oil on canvas
Image size: 30 x 25 inches (76 x 63.5 cm)
Original gilt swept frame
This portrait is marked by its loose brushwork, which creates a...
Category
Late 18th Century Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$19,820
Heron Shoot in a Landscape
Located in London, GB
Joris Abrahamsz van der Haagen
Heron Shoot in a Landscape
1615-1669
Oil on oak panel, signed 'JAH' lower left
Image size: 16 x 21 inches (41 x 53 cm)
Dutch ebonised frame
Provenance...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oak, Oil, Panel
The Right of Way
By Frederick Walker
Located in London, GB
Frederick Walker
The Right of Way
1840-1875
Watercolour and bodycolour on paper
Image size: 12 x 8 inches (30.5 x 20.25 cm)
Handmade Pre-Raphaelite style frame
In this pastoral scen...
Category
19th Century Landscape Paintings
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Still Life of Fruit in a Wicker Basket with Bird
Located in London, GB
Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen
1664-1730
Still Life of Fruit in a Wicker Basket with Bird
Oil on oak panel
Image size: 8 1/4 x 7 1/2 inches (21 x 19 cm)
Contemporary Dutch ebonised style f...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Still-life Paintings
Materials
Oak, Oil, Panel
Still Life of Roses in a Glass Vase
Located in London, GB
Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen
1664-1730
Still Life of Roses in a Glass Vase
Oil on oak panel
Image size: 8 ¾ x 7 ½ inches (22.25 x 19 cm)
Contemporary Dutch ebonised style frame
This int...
Category
17th Century Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel, Oak
Scene Near London Bridge
Located in London, GB
Cyril Walduck Edwards RI RBA
Scene Near London Bridge
1902-1982
Oil on canvas, signed lower left, titled on verso
Image size: 23 1/2 x 30 3/4 inches (60 x 78 cm)
Original frame
Exh...
Category
20th Century English School Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Privateer
By Francis Hayman
Located in London, GB
Portrait of a Privateer
Francis Hayman
1708 - 1776
Oil on canvas
Image size: 20 x 14 inches (51 x 36 cm)
Contemporary style frame
Provenance
Charles Fleischmann Esq
Here, a small ...
Category
18th Century English School Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Possible Portrait of William Shakespeare
Located in London, GB
Oil on oak panel
Image size: 17 1/4 x 22 1/4 inches (44 x 56.5 cm)
Period oak frame
This is a portrait of a Tudor gentleman in an open next shirt with one hand raised to his chest. ...
Category
Early 1600s Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oak, Oil
Still Life with Sheep Skull, Abstract 20th Century British Oil Painting
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas, inscribed on reverse
Image size: 18 1/2 x 18 1/2 inches (47 x 47 cm)
This abstract still life has been painted intuitively by the artist in a limited palette of soft ...
Category
Late 20th Century Abstract Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Life Drawing Class
Located in London, GB
Leighton Hall Woollatt
Life Drawing Class
1905-1974
Oil on canvas, dated '1930' on verso
Image size: 26 x 18 inches (66 x 45.7 cm)
Handmade contemporary frame
In this painting the s...
Category
20th Century Nude Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Christ as a Boy
Located in London, GB
Attributed to Francesco Bonsignori
Italian 1455-1519
Christ as a Boy
Oil on wood panel
Image size: 12 1/4 x 16 inches (31 x 40.5 cm)
Original gilt frame
In this painting on panel, ...
Category
16th Century Italian School Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
$62,626
Armand Emmanuel du Plessis, 5th Duke of Richelieu
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas
Image size: 10 x 7 1/2 inches (25.5 x 19 cm)
Contemporary gilt frame
This painting is a copy of Thomas Lawrence’s 1822 portrait of Armand Emmanuel du Plessis, Duke of ...
Category
19th Century English School Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Conestabile Madonna Old Master Renaissance
By (after) Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino)
Located in London, GB
After Raphael
Conestabile Madonna
1483 - 1520
Oil on poplar panel
Image size: 8 x 8 inches (20.5 x 20.5 cm)
Original ornate hand carved gilt frame
Conestabile Madonna
Made in compos...
Category
16th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey 16th Century Oil Portrait
Located in London, GB
English School
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey
16th Century
Oil on oak panel
Image size: 22 1/4 x 18 inches (56.5 x 46 cm)
Contemporary style frame
Provenance
T. L. Thurlow Esq, Baynards Par...
Category
16th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Oak
After Hours
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas on board, signed lower left
Image size: 14 1/2 x 17 1/2 inches (36.5 x 44.5 cm)
Hand made frame
In this atmospheric scene a drunk is walking home, he must be causing some noise as another person is leaning out of his window to the right looking at him.
The artist has captured old London beautifully with the old bins, advertising on the walls and the cats bemused by the drunken figure. It sometimes takes an outsider such as Sancha to appreciate the beauty of the scene.
Francisco Sancha Lengo
Self portrait in London
Francisco Sancha y Lengo was born in Malaga in 1874. He attended the School of Fine Arts there and studied under Joaquín Martínez de la Vega, the eccentric, influential teacher that baptised a young Picasso with champagne. Such an education served him well, and by 1897 Sancha was studying at the Royal Academy in Madrid under José Moreno Carbonero...
Category
Early 20th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas, Board
Lower Chedworth
Located in London, GB
English School
Lower Chedworth
20th Century
Oil on board, signed lower right
Image size: 19 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches (49.5 x 59.5 cm)
Original frame
In this painting, the winding countr...
Category
20th Century Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Sculpture Gallery with Madonna and Child
Located in London, GB
Leighton Hall Woollatt
Sculpture Gallery with Madonna and Child
1905 - 1974
Oil on canvas, signed, titled 'Painting of a Antique Cast' from the Royal Academy Schools and dated '28 Ju...
Category
20th Century Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Price Upon Request
Diana
By Studio of Sir Peter Lely
Located in London, GB
Studio of Sir Peter Lely
Diana
Oil on canvas
Image Size: 38 x 50 inches (96.5 x 127 cm)
Ornate auricular frame
Provenance
The collection of Mr Campbell
Private Estate
Mary II (16...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Price Upon Request
The First Taste
By Joan Fairfax Whiteside ARRC FMAA
Located in London, GB
Oil on board, signed lower right
Image size: 14 1/4 x 16 inches (36 x 40 1/2 cm)
Hand made frame
Joan Fairfax Whiteside was a prodigious artist and illustrator. Born into an eminent...
Category
Early 20th Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Landscape with Ruins by the Tivoli Falls
Located in London, GB
Oil on copper
Image size: 15 x 10 1/2 inches (38 x 26.5 cm)
Period style hand made frame
This landscape depicts the area surrounding the Tivoli waterfalls in Italy. Thanks to its proximity in Rome, which lies some 30 km to the Southwest, Tivoli has long been a destination for artists. The Italian landscapists whose work was so coveted by Grand Tourist collectors—Claude, Gaspard Dughet and Salvator Rosa—all sketched there, while the Northern Italianates, including Cornelis van Poelenburgh...
Category
Early 17th Century Landscape Paintings
Materials
Copper
Stone Lion
Located in London, GB
G R Neale
Oil on Canvas, Signed and dated ‘1933’ lower right
Image Size: 13 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches ( 34.3 x 24.1 cm)
Hand made ebonised and gilded frame
Accentuated by the works golden tones, the painting is a duality of strength and stillness. Explored through the compositions stoic stone lion; angled to gaze just out of frame; in contrast with the draped ochre curtain of the piece’s background.
Reeves and Sons...
Category
20th Century Modern Animal Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Cathedral View
Located in London, GB
A R Phillips
20th Century
Cathedral View
Gouache on board, signed and dated 1946 bottom right
Image Size: 12 1/2 x 13 inches (30 x 32.5 cm)
Handmade framed
This painting, originally...
Category
20th Century Post-War Landscape Paintings
Materials
Gouache, Board
Preparing to Sail
Located in London, GB
Preparing to Sail
C. Rex James
Oil on canvas on board
Image size: 17 1/4 x 21 1/2 inches ( 54.5 x 43.5 cm)
Original frame
This painting by James captures a serene scene of several y...
Category
20th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Board
Sailor Smoking a Pipe
By Arthur David McCormick
Located in London, GB
Sailor Smoking a Pipe
Arthur David McCormick
Oil on canvas
Image size: 19 x 25 1/2 inches (48 x 65 cm)
Contemporary frame
Arthur David McCormick (1860–1943) was a notable British illustrator and painter, renowned for his landscapes, historical scenes, naval subjects, and genre scenes. Born in Coleraine, County Londonderry, he pursued his education at the Royal College of Art in London from 1883 to 1886.
McCormick’s career was marked by his contributions to various illustrated magazines, including the English Illustrated Magazine and the Illustrated London News. He participated in significant expeditions, such as Sir Martin Conway’s journey to the Karakoram Himalayas in 1892 and Clinton T. Dent’s expedition to the Caucasus Mountains in 1895. His illustrations from these travels were featured in Conway’s book “Climbing and Exploration in the Karakoram-Himalayas” (1894) and his own publication “An Artist in the Himalayas” (1895).
Throughout his career, McCormick illustrated nearly thirty books, focusing on travel and adventure themes. Some of his notable works include illustrations for Edgar Allan Poe’s “Tales of Mystery and Imagination” (1905) and Henry Newbolt’s “Drake’s Drum and Other Songs of the Sea” (1914). He was also a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy from 1889 to 1938.
Navy Cut Sailor Work...
Category
20th Century English School Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Route de Montagne
Located in London, GB
Robert Deborne
Route de Montagne
Oil on canvas, signed lower right
Image size: 21 1/3 x 25 1/2 inches (54.3 x 65 cm)
Original gilt frame
Provenance
Artist’s Estate
This work depict...
Category
Early 20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), bust-length, in armour
By Robert Walker
Located in London, GB
After Robert Walker
1599 - 1658
Portrait of Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), bust-length, in armour
Oil on canvas
Image size: 24 x 29 inches (61 x 73 cm)
Original carved gilt frame
This...
Category
17th Century English School Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
The Virgin and Child Enthroned
Located in London, GB
Studio of Adriaen Isenbrandt
1510 - 1551
The Virgin and Child Enthroned
Oil on oak panel, wax seal verso
Image size: 10 3/4 x 8 inches (27 x 20.5 cm)
Contemporary style frame (image below)
POA
Provenance
Collection of Mrs Marianne Hudson
Mary, holding Jesus in her arms, is centrally positioned against a gold detailed architectural backdrop, reflecting the traditional iconography of the enthroned Virgin and Child. This composition suggests the theme of “Maestà” or “Majesty,” emphasising the figures religious significance.
In the painting from the studio of Adriaen Isenbrandt, the artist masterfully infuses the scene with rich symbolism and hidden meanings that reflect the cultural and religious context of the period. The infant Christ, seated on the Virgin Mary’s lap, is draped in a delicate, translucent white garment that symbolises his purity. In his hand, he clutches a piece of coral, a multifaceted symbol representing immortality, youth, and health. Notably, coral was also a common teething tool during that era, adding another layer of contemporary relevance.
A scarlet-headed blackbird, native to South America, perches gracefully on Christ’s outstretched finger. This bird is a potent symbol of creation and protection, enhancing the divine narrative of the scene. Mary, with a tender and loving gesture, caresses Christ’s back while gazing adoringly at her son, underscoring her role as the nurturing mother of God.
Mary is centrally positioned within an architectural alcove, which subtly suggests a heavenly halo without explicitly depicting one. The alcove’s niches, traditionally used to emphasise the importance of sculptures, further highlight her significance. She is adorned in a voluminous red gown, with the undulating folds of the fabric accentuated by white highlights. The red colour of her dress symbolises maternal qualities, while the iridescent blue undercoat, visible in certain areas, signifies sanctity and purity due to its rarity and expense at the time.
Moreover, Mary is depicted as the epitome of contemporary Medieval...
Category
16th Century Dutch School Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
Portrait of a Young Man Oil Painting Celebrated 20th Century Artist
By Oliver Messel
Located in London, GB
Oliver Messel
1904 - 1978
Portrait of a Young Man
Oil on canvas, signed and dated 'Oliver Messel 1930' (on the stretcher)
Image size: 30 x 25 inches (76.2 x 63.4 cm)
Original frame
Oliver Messel was born to Leonard and Maud Messel, née Sambourne, on the 13 January 1904 and was the youngest of three children. The family moved to Nymans, the Messel family home in Sussex, from nearby Balcombe in 1915. The house remained in the family until 1953 when it was bequeathed to the National Trust, following a fire in 1947 which destroyed a large portion of the house.
The Messels originated from a line of German Jewish bankers on Leonard’s side, however, both family lines boast a number of artistic influences, including Maud’s father. Maud was brought up at 18 Stafford Terrace, Kensington (now known as the Linley Sambourne House Museum), amongst collections of antique porcelain and eighteenth-century furniture, and with a host of artistic visitors such as Henry Irving and Oscar Wilde.
Oliver’s own upbringing appears to be influenced by his mother's, as the Messel family were also affiliated with artists and writers and were keen collectors of art, filling their home with textiles, paintings and collections of European and Asian fans from travels abroad. It was amongst such treasures that Oliver, Anne and Linley spent their childhood, in addition to the beauty of Nyman’s extensive gardens.
Oliver was schooled at Eton but rather than going up to university was encouraged by family friends, gallery owner Archie Propert and painter and sculptor Glyn Philpot, to attend art school. In 1922 he enrolled at the Slade School of Fine Art in London, where he studied under Henry Tonks. Here, he met the artist Rex Whistler with whom he remained firm friends until Whistler’s death in WW2.
Upon leaving the Slade in 1924 Oliver was apprenticed to the studio of portrait artist John Wells, where he learnt various Old Master painting techniques, and met artists such as Jacob Epstein, Augustus John and William Orpen.
Whilst at the Slade Oliver developed his interest in Papier Mâché masks, a pastime popular amongst many art students at the time. Whilst apprenticed to artist John Wells several of Oliver’s masks were exhibited at the Claridge Gallery, London, alongside pieces by Whistler and other young artists. These were seen by Serge Diaghilev, director of the Ballet Russes, and Charles B. Cochran, a theatrical producer, both of whom made Oliver offers of work.
His first job in the theatre was creating masks for the Ballets Russes’ Zéphyr et Flore, 1925, designed by the French artist Georges Braque, followed by numerous musical revues for Cochran, including Wake Up and Dream!, 1929, with music by Cole Porter. It was during these revues, working with Porter and Noel Coward, that Oliver also began to design headdresses and costumes. In 1932 he was rewarded with his first full commission to design both costume and sets for Helen!, directed by Max Reinhardt. The production design is still celebrated today for its innovative approach and ground-breaking ‘white on white’ aesthetic, which referenced ‘Greek temples, Rococo drapes, Baroque colonnades and Louis XIV carousels’.
The success of Helen! led to further offers within the theatre including Reinhardt’s version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Old Vic in 1937, starring Vivien Leigh as Titania and Robert Helpmann as Oberon, the Jean Cocteau play The Infernal Machine in 1940, and Christopher Fry’s translation of Jean Anouilh’s Ring Round the Moon, 1950.
One of Oliver’s best-known productions during this period was the Russian ballet The Sleeping Beauty, performed by Sadler’s Wells Ballet in 1946 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Encompassing over 200 costumes and four set changes, Oliver’s romantic designs were celebrated for bringing colour back to post-war London, and variations on his designs are still used today. Additional designs for the ballet included Comus in 1940, for which he was released from war duties, and Homage to the Queen, choreographed by Frederick Ashton and performed in 1953 for the Queen’s coronation.
His first opera was in 1940 for Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte at the Royal Opera House, followed by a series of productions at the newly founded Glyndebourne Opera House in Sussex, for which Oliver also designed the proscenium arch. He triumphed in 1956 designing a season of four different productions for their Mozart bicentennial, also providing illustrations for the programme covers.
His popularity also spread beyond theatre to film, were he worked on over eight different feature films including Romeo and Juliet, 1936, directed by George Cukor. During a three-month research trip to Italy Oliver collected over 3,000 reference images including postcards of artwork by Piero della Francesca, Giovanni Bellini and Leonardo da Vinci, along with prints and photographs of textiles and architectural features.
A production of Gabriel Pascal’s Caesar and Cleopatra, 1946, starring Vivien Leigh and Claude Rains, was celebrated for Oliver’s ability to recreate the opulence and luxury of ancient Egypt under the constraints of wartime rationing. Such was his skill that Vivien Leigh in a letter to Oliver declared that “I have of course told Pascal that nobody in the world must do the costumes except you.” He was later nominated for an Academy Award for his work on his final film Suddenly, Last Summer, 1959; an adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ American Southern Gothic mystery.
Having started his artistic career as a portrait apprentice, capturing the faces of family and friends, Oliver continued to develop this practice until the end of his life. His style is said to have been influenced by Glyn Philpot, the Messel’s family friend who encouraged Oliver from an early age in his pursuit of art and design. His most prolific period came in the 1950s during which he produced over 50 portraits, which were shown in exhibitions in New York, London and Barbados.
The exhibitions included both well-known faces and anonymous sitters captured on Oliver’s travels, and a number of these works have entered private collections. He continued to paint after moving to the Caribbean in 1966, capturing society figures and the rich and famous including fashion designer Carolina Herrera and Bianca Jagger. His style remained unchanged throughout his career, using the same soft painterly strokes and subtle palette as in his theatre designs.
By far his greatest contribution in addition to theatre and film was Oliver’s interior and architectural designs.
Another, much celebrated commission included Rayne shoe shop in Old Bond Street, where he created jewel-like interiors using the same practice of scaled models as his set designs. Other notable interior designs include those for Norwich and Bath Assembly Rooms, Flaxley Abbey in Gloucestershire, Rosehill Theatre in Cumbria and the Reader’s Digest offices in Paris.
However, upon moving to Barbados in 1966, Oliver embraced a new career envisioning architectural concepts for private houses, hotels and public buildings, utilising his experience with interior design to furnish them with bespoke items of furniture and textiles. His first project was Maddox, the deserted eighteenth-century plantation house bought by himself and his partner Vagn Riis-Hansen in 1964. The existing building and gardens were remodelled to Oliver’s designs embracing an inherent theatricality with views out to sea. These were framed by terraces and verandas which extended out from the living rooms creating what is often referred to as a Caribbean style of ‘indoor-outdoor’ living. For the woodwork he used a shade of green that is now known as ‘Messel green’ and often associated with the island of Barbados.
Oliver was born into a wealthy family; he travelled extensively and was exposed to art and culture from a young age. A privileged youth, his name is often mentioned amongst the ‘Bright Young Things’, for whom costume parties at country houses and jaunts to Europe on a whim became a thing of fable. This informal group included people such as Cecil Beaton (a life-long friend whom Oliver first met at Eton), Lord Berners, Noel Coward, John Betjeman, Harold Acton, Nancy Mitford, Edith Sitwell, Stephen Tennant...
Category
20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
A Long Day
Located in London, GB
Reginald Brill
1902 - 1974
Oil on board
Image Size: 8 ½ x 10 ½ inches (21.6 x 26.7 cm)
Original gilt frame
This humorous painting captures the artists perspective of 'A long Day' wi...
Category
20th Century Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
$6,882
An Abandoned Journey
Located in London, GB
An Abandoned Journey
20th Century British School
Oil on canvas
Image size: 24 x 24 inches (61 x 61 cm)
Hand made frame
The composition of this painting, featuring a red and white do...
Category
20th Century Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Rotherhithe
Located in London, GB
Rotherhide
Davie
Oil on board
Image size: 7 1/4 x 26 3/4 inches (18.5 x 68 cm)
Hand made frame
This oil painting offers a captivating glimpse into Rotherhithe, a historic area in So...
Category
20th Century Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
$2,949
Portrait of a Young Man
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas
Image size: 13 x 16 1/2 inches (33 x 42 cm)
Contemporary style frame (Image below)
Provenance
Private European Collection
Darnley Fine Art offers this boldly brushed ...
Category
17th Century Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Winter
Located in London, GB
Oil on panel, signed lower right & dated 1976
Image size: 9 1/2 x 10 1/5 inches (24.13 x 25.9 cm)
Ebonised Dutch style frame
As part of his four-seasons collection, Newcombe masterfully captures the changing patterns of the year. In this panel titled Winter, Newcombe portrays the snow covered, barren landscape stretching across the composition, evoking the essence of the frosty months. The townscape, meticulously detailed and enveloped by heavy clouds on a crisp, fresh day, transports viewers to the depths of winter.
Peter Newcombe...
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
Summer
Located in London, GB
Oil on panel, signed & dated lower right 1975
Image size: 9 1/2 x 10 1/5 inches (24.13 x 25.9 cm)
Ebonised Dutch style frame
In this painting by Newcombe, the warmth of a summer sunset envelopes the rolling landscape. As part of his four-seasons collection this panel, Summer portrays the gentle heat of an orange sky, casting its glow upon the abundant fauna and ruined castle in the hilltop. The castle could be Corfe Castle.
Peter Newcombe...
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
Spring
Located in London, GB
Oil on panel, signed & dated lower right 1975
Image size: 9 1/2 x 10 1/5 inches (24.13 x 25.9 cm)
Ebonised Dutch style frame
In this panel by Newcombe, the arrival of spring unfolds across the British landscape. As part of his four seasons collection, Spring captures both the seasonal lightness and the agricultural renewal of the land. The panel comes alive with fresh colours, breathing life into the pastoral landscape. Within this scene, the modern tractor and the traditional hay-cart exist side by side, symbolising the timeless interplay between progress and tradition across changing seasons. The plowed field stretches out its furrows promising abundance. On the left, a tall tree stands watch, its bare branches hinting at the upcoming spring bloom. Above, the sky breaks free from its cloudy cover, revealing a bright blue expanse, signalling sunnier days ahead.
Peter Newcombe...
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
Portrait of a Young Boy Carrying a Fruit Basket, 18th Century Oil on Canvas
By Thomas Beach
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas
Image size: 30 x 25 inches (76 x 63.5 cm)
Contemporary hand-carved frame
This is a charming 18th century portrait of a young boy, sporting a golden child's two-piece w...
Category
18th Century English School Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
The Palace Guard, Oil on Panel Signed Painting
Located in London, GB
Oil on panel, signed bottom left
Image size: 6 x 11 inches (15.25 x 28 cm)
This painting depicts a 16th century palace guard standing outside of an open door, wearing a set of armou...
Category
19th Century Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
White Roses and Red Berries, Signed 20th Century American Female Artist
By Emma Fordyce MacRae
Located in London, GB
Oil on board, signed top left
Image size: 15 3/4 x 11 1/2 inches (40 x 29 cm)
Bespoke gilt cased frame
Provenance
By descent from the estate of the artist
Emma Fordyce MacRae
Emma Fordyce MacRae was an American representational painter. She was a member of the Philadelphia Ten, a group of women artists who worked and exhibited together. Her work — including still lifes and paintings of women — shows the influence of Asian flower paintings and of Seurat.
MacRae grew up in New York City, where she attended Miss Chapin's School and the Brearley School. She enrolled at the Art Students League in 1911, studying first with Frank DuMond and Kenneth Hayes Miller, and beginning in 1915, with Luis Mora, Ernest Blumenschein, and John French Sloan. She also attended one of Robert Reid's summer courses.
MacRae's painting, "Green Jade," was shown at the Anderson Galleries in 1928, at an exhibit of artist members of the American Woman's Association. Many exhibitions and gallery showings followed. In 1937, MacRae's painting "A Persian Girl," was listed as deserving of special mention by The New York Times critic Edward Alden Jewell. In the 1940s, MacRae was chairman of the awards jury of the National Association of Women Artists.
Galleries rediscovered MacRae's art in the 1980s; the Richard York Gallery in New York exhibited thirty of her paintings in December 1983. In 1987, her painting of a Venetian cafe was part of "American Women Artists, 1830-1930," an exhibition displayed at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. and in four other museums.
MacRae had studios in New York City and in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Where MacRae painted her New England landscapes form the Cape Ann Landscapes...
Category
20th Century American Modern Still-life Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Yellow Roses in Hopi Pot, American 20th Century Female Artist
By Emma Fordyce MacRae
Located in London, GB
Oil on board
Image size: 15 3/4 x 11 1/2 inches (40 x 29 cm)
Framed
Provenance
By descent from the estate of the artist
Emma Fordyce MacRae
Emma Fordyce MacRae was an American representational painter. She was a member of the Philadelphia Ten, a group of women artists who worked and exhibited together. Her work — including still lifes and paintings of women — shows the influence of Asian flower paintings and of Seurat.
MacRae grew up in New York City, where she attended Miss Chapin's School and the Brearley School. She enrolled at the Art Students League in 1911, studying first with Frank DuMond and Kenneth Hayes Miller, and beginning in 1915, with Luis Mora, Ernest Blumenschein, and John French Sloan. She also attended one of Robert Reid's summer courses.
MacRae's painting, "Green Jade," was shown at the Anderson Galleries in 1928, at an exhibit of artist members of the American Woman's Association. Many exhibitions and gallery showings followed. In 1937, MacRae's painting "A Persian Girl," was listed as deserving of special mention by The New York Times critic Edward Alden Jewell. In the 1940s, MacRae was chairman of the awards jury of the National Association of Women Artists.
Galleries rediscovered MacRae's art in the 1980s; the Richard York Gallery in New York exhibited thirty of her paintings in December 1983. In 1987, her painting of a Venetian cafe was part of "American Women Artists, 1830-1930," an exhibition displayed at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. and in four other museums.
MacRae had studios in New York City and in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Where MacRae painted her New England landscapes form the Cape Ann Landscapes...
Category
20th Century American Modern Still-life Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Sir Rowland Cotton (1581 – 1634), Tudor Oil on Canvas, Life Size Painting
Located in London, GB
Oil on original canvas
Image size: 78 1/4 x 44 inches (199 x 112 cm)
Contemporary style frame
Provenance
Sir Rowland Cotton, 1608
Family Descent
Private Collection
Sir Rowland Cot...
Category
17th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Young Woman with Vase, Oil on canvas, Early Dutch Genre Painting
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas
Image size: 12 x 10 inches (30.5 x 25.5 cm)
Period hand carved gilt frame
This 17th century Dutch genre painting depicts a young woman holding a jug with a landscape l...
Category
17th Century Dutch School Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil





