Early 19th Century European Oil on Board Portrait of a Woman with Tired Feet

This evocative Victorian genre scene, attributed to George Adolphus Storey, R.A., captures the moment immediately after a letter has been delivered. In a leafy walk, a Georgian house...

This 19th-century oil on mahogany board titled 'The Cut Finger' by William Hemsley, R.B.A., depicts a familial pairing in a cottage home. The girl tends to the eponymous cut with a white cloth pressed on the boy's finger. A dim light is cast from the window to the left, illuminating a cut loaf of bread, a knife, and simple stoneware to set the scene. The girl sits in a wooden chair wearing a salmon-colored blouse, while the young boy is dressed in a golden overshirt. William Hemsley, R.B.A., (1819-1906) was a prolific draughtsman and painter of genre scenes depicting English provincial life. Hemsley’s scenes of everyday reality, which were usually painted on a small scale, follow the gentle tradition of Webster and F. D. Hardy. He was, like them, fond of painting children at play. Many of his works depicted rustic domestic scenes, leading to him being described as "pre-eminently the painter of cottage life". He was also a member of the Society of British Artists. He exhibited frequently in London, particularly at the Royal Academy and the Suffolk Street Gallery. This gentle painting faithfully represents a moment between two people caring for one another. Hemsley painted in a style reminiscent of earlier golden-age Dutch genre painting, using light and color in a vibrant but elegant manner—signature on the lower left-hand corner. In the 19th century, it was common to paint on wood due to its durability, smooth surface, and long-standing tradition. Wood panels were preferred for their sturdiness and versatility, suitable for detailed artworks and various shapes and sizes. While wood was popular, especially for smaller works, canvas started gaining popularity later in the century for its lighter weight and ease of use. This rustic genre scene resides in an ornate Louis XIV Régence style convex frame with foliate shell cartouche corners, strap work, and c-scrolls on a cross-hatched ground with white pigment dispersed throughout. In the early 18th century the Louis XIV styles blended into the Régence frame style (c.1715-1723) which placed greater emphasis on the corners and centers. The full Regency style was both opulent and delicate, with the order and linearity of this period giving way to the swirling delicacy of the Rococo. This painting would be a wonderful addition to a home office, entryway, or library...

This small and charming oil on canvas depicts a young boy sitting on an older man’s knee, drinking from a beer stein. The scene takes place in a workshop or home, with fabric drapped...

This whimsical 19th-century oil on canvas, attributed to Thomas Webster R.A (1800-1886), depicts two young boys spying inside of a sealed letter, careful not to break the seal. The s...

Oil on canvas, portrait of a young woman with a romantic air, in a light dress and wearing a hat held back by a veil, seated next to a jug Gilt wood frame (some lacks in the beading...

Antique 19th century Austrian painting. Oil on canvas artwork depicting a female portrait, a young noblewoman in a pose of good pictorial quality. Pai...

A beautifully painted oil on canvas of a lady, circa 1825, merged with a period gilt-wood frame.

Manner of George Chinnery (English, 1774-1852), a softly rendered portrait of a young woman, unsigned, in carved and gilded wood frame A remnant "...R. Davy, Colourman to Artists, 83, Newman Street, London" label on verso. Christie's inventory tags also on verso. A little gem of a portrait, this painting also contains lovely details such as a flower adorning the young woman's hair, a pink shawl draped on the chair, and an ornate gilt mirror with candelabra visible in the background. Robert Davy (c.1771-1843) established his business in the 1790s. He began his career as a carver and gilder...