Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely Pre-Raphaelite watercolour by the artist GEORGE SHERIDAN KNOWLES RBA RI, ROI, who has signed the painting in the lower right hand corner and dated it 1908. The painting is similarly entitled and attributed on the gilt slip.

This painting was exhibited at The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and was entitled 'An Autumn Melody'. Over a hundred years ago, it was priced at £45, as shown by the label affixed verso. The artist's address was given as l Belsize Studios, Glenella Road, London NW. The painting depicts a young woman, dressed in a white mediaeval dress with a gold circlet in her hair and a posy of flowers in her left hand, kneeling in a clearing in the woods, whilst her companion, a young man, similarly dressed, plays the zither to her. There are three albino rabbits in the foreground.

GEORGE SHERIDAN KNOWLES, was born in Manchester on 25th November 1863 and spent his early years living at 117 Moss Lane West, Manchester, with his brother, the landscape and figurative painter John Frederick Knowles and his sister, the still life artist Juliet Knowles. He studied at Manchester School of Art and the RA Schools and began exhibiting at the RA in 1885, after which time he moved to London. He died on 15th March 1931.

He specialised in genre scenes, often set in the middles ages, as this one, or the 18th century or scenes of the Empire, which appealed to the often sentimental taste of the Victorian period. In his later life he turned more to portraiture of children.

He was elected a Member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1890, a Member of The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours in 1892, of which organisation he served as Treasurer, and a Member of The Royal Oil Painters Institute in 1901. His paintings in the National Collection made be seen at Oldham and Nottingham Art Galleries.

His biographical details are listed in The Dictionary of British Artists (Collector's Club), The Dictionary of Victorian Painters by Christopher Wood, The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists by H. Mallalieu. The Dictionary of British Artists by Grant M. Waters and Painters in the Northern Counties of England and Wales by Professor Dennis Child. There are many images of his work online at google images.

Auction results achieved for works by this artist may be found at artnet.com (161 listings), findartinfo.com (78), arcadja.com (78) and artprice.com (160). His record price for a watercolour is nearly £3,000 and for an oil £19,000.

The painting is framed in its original giltwood slip and a new 2 3/4" outer frame with crossed ribbons, which suits it very well.

Image size: 20" x 14" - 50.8cm x 35.55cm

Frame size: 30 1/2" x 24 1/2" - 77.45cm x 62.2cm

Medium: Watercolours

Condition: Excellent. Colours bright and true. No foxing. Gilt slip in very good condition. The frame is new.