Studio RT Ltd

Description

This is a wonderful oil painting on canvas by the renowned Northumberland artist George Blackie Sticks, who has signed the painting in the lower right hand corner, dated it 1872 and inscribed and dated it verso 'Loch Oich with Invergarry Castle'. It is a misty morning, with a fisherman on the banks to the right, with a couple of yachts out on the water and the ruins of Invergarry Castle on a sloping bank to the right. Although the mist is swirling around the top of the mountain to the left, the sun is breaking through and bathing the mountains behind the castle in light.

George Blackie Sticks 1843-c. 1900, was the most famous of the Sticks family of artists, which include his father James Sticks, 1813-?, his brother William Sticks, his brother Andrew James Sticks, his brother Henry Sticks 1845-1878, his nephews Harry Sticks 1867-1938 and William Sticks Jr., and his own sons George Edward Sticks 1864-1938 and Christian J. Sticks 1872-1912. We do not know the exact year of George Blackie's death, as it was not registered, but have found no painting dated after 1898 and we know that he was in poor health towards the end of his life, which restricted his paintings to relatively local views. Sadly it would appear that both of his sons died aged 40.

George Blackie Sticks was born in Newcastle, where he lived throughout his life, and trained as a stained glass designer in the factory of William Wailes, where other members of the family also worked. He studied painting under William Bell Scott at the Government School of Art in Newcastle before becoming a full time artist. He painted in oils, scenes of the North East, then Scotland and the Lake District and painted many scenes including castles.

He exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy as well as in the provinces.

There are 13 of his paintings in the National Collection, which can be viewed at BBC - Your Paintings and is represented at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, the Shipley AG in Gateshead, the Mercer AG in Harrogate, Mansion House in Newcastle, South Shields Museum and AG, Victoria AG, the Hatton Gallery and North Tyneside Council.

The painting is framed in what is possibly its original 3" swept gilt frame and slip. The painting will be supplied wired and ready to hang.

Image size: 21 1/4" x 15 1/4" - 54cm x 38.75cm (22" x 16" canvas size)

Frame size: 27 1/2" x 21 1/2" - 69.85cm x 54.6cm

Medium: Oils on Winsor and Newton canvas

Condition: Very good. The canvas is clean and taut, there is a small amount of craquelure along the top of the sky only and stretcher marks consistent with age and there is no paint loss. The frame is in very good condition.